Barmaid Blues
by Ava Chanel
Summary: Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC, hints of CloTi. Completed.
1. Beauty of the Slums Do YOU Know Her?

**A/N: **_A silly idea I've had in my mind for a while now..._

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter One: **

**The Beauty of the Slums; Do YOU Know her?**

The posters seemed to be decorating the walls of every single building in the city of Edge. Not only were they massive pieces of paper, but there would always be multiples of them posted on the same wall, enclosing as much brick and cement as possible. To miss them, and the event they were advertising, would have just been ludicrous. The entire population of Edge was familiar with them at this point and there wasn't a soul who wasn't excited about the whole thing.

However, to a certain barmaid, the advertisements served only to be a complete nuisance when they started decorating the walls of _her_ bar and restaurant. It became part of her daily chores in the morning to step outside and inspect the exterior of her store. After she'd spot them flapping away in the wind, she'd go about eradicating them and crumpling them up into a big heap, muttering all the while under her breath. Not many things were able to burrow their way underneath her skin, but after two weeks of the nonsense, the dark haired woman was just about fed up.

Shivering and hugging the wrinkled balls of paper in her bare arms, she stepped inside of the bar with the remnants of wind still tugging at her long, chocolate tresses before the door slammed shut. The fair haired man sitting on a stool at the bar with his back to her, jerked at the sudden sound, gloved fingers grasping the handle of his infamous sword reflexively.

Cerulean eyes were turned to her, shining eerily with the glow of mako that had been infused into him in the past. Familiarity settled into his features when he recognized her, and his grip loosened in response. She stalked on past him, unfazed by his reactions and still mumbling something to herself, dark brows furrowed in agitation. His gaze followed her silently, watching as she left a wake of paper balls on the floor trailing after her. While she busied herself with getting them all into the recycling bin, he stared at the nearest crumpled up piece of paper and made to pick it up, his intention being to help her.

Curiosity got the better of him, though and instead of giving it to her, he unfolded the wrinkled paper and examined the contents of its advertisement. There was a picture of a shadow of a woman, evidently very curvaceous and blowing a kiss to no one in particular. His eyebrow shot up in question, but his eyes scanned the rest of the text:

**THE SHINRA COMPANY IS HOLDING ITS FIRST ANNUAL 'BEAUTY OF THE SLUMS' COMPETITION IN THE CITY OF EDGE!**

**MANY BEAUTIFUL MAIDENS WILL ENTER BUT ONLY ONE WILL BE CROWNED A WINNER...**

**IT COULD BE YOU!**

_Amidst all the destruction and all the anger and hate through the course of the last few years, unhappiness has abounded. Yet, in the darkness there has been light; it comes in the form of the maiden, the true beauty of the slums. _

_Among all the horror, she has shone bright and true; her personality is contagious and when she smiles, the stars envy the way she sparkles. _

_Not only is she beautiful, she is also optimistic and a role model for everyone. All who are loved by her long to protect her, and those whom she does not know, strive for her affections. It is because she leads her life in such a way that all women are envious while the men long to be a part of it... _

_Someone so rare and special deserves a prize equally so._

_Do you know her? _

_Nominations are being accepted now! Submit them via mail and see if YOU are lucky enough to know the true BEAUTY OF THE SLUMS. _

Understanding his friend's plight after reading it, he squished the piece of paper in his hand and tossed it into the trash and over the bar counter, picking up his sword and organizing his delivery products right after.

"Those Turks have some kind of nerve! Here I am, giving them free drinks and being friendly and how do they repay me? By plastering my entire house with these...these...ridiculous papers!" She motioned to the garbage that was now heaping full with a legion of the aforementioned papers.

His eyes widened when he noticed them but he said nothing, knowing not how to comfort his clearly distraught housemate. The barmaid stood huffing and puffing, delicate hands placed on her hips while she glared heatedly at the trail of paper that had escaped her and now littered her bar's wooden floors. The blonde haired man swung his sword over his back and adjusted it so that it remained in place before picking up the heavy load of boxes and making his way towards the door.

"I'll see you later, Tifa." He said nonchalantly, not bothering to cast a glance at the fuming younger woman.

He would have helped her deal with the Turk problem except he was already running late with his deliveries and his set of priorities told him that Reno and Rude were something Tifa could handle all her own.

"Take care of yourself, Cloud!" She cried after him almost too late.

Just as he exited the door, an ecstatic little girl bounced down the stairs, a huge grin playing on her ribbon shaped lips and her light brown hair waving around her dainty face. She was still wearing her soft pink nightgown but the way she was almost jumping off of the walls made Tifa believe something had possessed the child.

"Mornin, Tifa!" She cried, smiling toothily up at her guardian.

After having such an unnerving morning so far, Tifa hadn't thought it possible for her to smile. And yet, upon seeing the cheery little girl so full of joy for absolutely no reason, she couldn't help but feel as if the attitude was contagious.

She returned the affection with a soft smile before replying, "Good morning, Marlene. How did you sleep last night?"

Marlene hopped up onto the bar stool where a warm breakfast awaited her. She licked her lips excitedly as she took in the sweet smell of freshly fried eggs and bacon. It was always nice whenever Cloud made some distant deliveries; he'd bring home ingredients that Edge just never really managed to have.

"Really good!" She replied with another smile.

It didn't take her long to dig into her meal, still in a chipper mood. Tifa couldn't help but feel better just by watching her eat; it was still too early to open up the bar and she normally used this free time to feed the kids (and Cloud) and set up for the usual morning rush. Her meals were starting to become quite notorious these days.

Just as she was about to start on washing the dishes, a creak echoed into the restaurant, causing both Tifa and Marlene to pause and look in the direction of the stairs where the sound had originated. A young boy with ruffled up caramel coloured hair trudged in, rubbing at his half closed eyes. Indigo blue in colour, he peered through them at the two smiling girls before him. His pajama top had found a way to spin around on him and was revealing a bit of his tummy while his pants had rolled up to reveal slender and pale ankles.

Tifa shook her head when she took sight of the boy, "Denzel! What do you do in your sleep? Take on monsters?"

Marlene giggled in response, a sweet sound that echoed through the room and made Tifa want to laugh with her. Denzel looked up at his guardian with innocent large eyes, looking bashful as her hands moved about, adjusting his clothing.

"There!" She cried victoriously, standing tall with her hands at her hips and looking down at her work.

Marlene spun around on the stool top, kicking out her short and little legs about as she did so, her cotton dress spilling around her knees. She nibbled on a piece of bacon as she observed Denzel with large hazel eyes. Noticing the food, the little boy made his way next to Marlene and took his seat, mouth watering at the sight of the warm toast, tall glass of white milk, Tifa's infamous scrambled eggs and deep fried bacon. He looked forward to the mornings if only because he was always treated to some of Tifa's lovely breakfast.

"Well don't just stare at it! Dig in! I have to open up soon." Tifa urged, glancing at the large black clock hanging on the wall, ticking each and every second away.

She sighed and went on to finish her final preparations before it was opening time. The kids played around a little but when they ate, they became seriously dedicated to the food. Soon, all Tifa would hear was the crunching of toast and the slurping of milk. She smiled to herself when she washed the licked-clean dishes before getting ready to unlock the doors. Marlene and Denzel, having finished their meals, dashed up the stairs to clean up and change as Tifa had ordered them to do.

Looking up at the clock one last time and watching as the final second ticked on by, proclaiming that it was indeed eight in the morning, Tifa sighed and made her way to the doors, where she unlocked all the bolts. She flipped the CLOSED sign to OPEN in the window and headed towards the bar counter right after. Halfway there, the expected chime of the door echoed through the room, indicating the arrival of her first customer. She rolled her eyes in response without turning to even look, knowing full well who it was that had come in...

"Mornin, sunshine!" A happy male voice boomed loudly from behind her.

"You're late this time, Reno. Don't you usually knock on my door at seven forty-five every morning?" She chided, getting herself situated behind the counter where she started working on his order already.

"Nah. Too cold today. Dontcha feel that wind? It's absolutely freezing. Don't care how pretty the woman is; nothing is worth braving _that_ for an extra fifteen minutes." He answered, running a hand through crimson red strands of his messy hair.

"Oh, so it has nothing to do with the fact that that's when Cloud leaves, right?" She asked rather innocently.

"Of course not! Why should I care when old spikey leaves for work anyways? Psh." Reno adamantly cried.

Tifa sighed, smiling to herself as she shook her head, still fixing up Reno's breakfast order with his favourite alcoholic drink in the morning. She poured the vodka first and then followed with the orange juice and settled it next to his plate of steaming food on the counter. His face lit up like a child's when he saw it.

"Aw, Teefs! Like a kid on Christmas mornin'! Damn, you're good." He cried, taking his seat at the bar.

Tifa looked around, waiting for her next guest of honour, but when he didn't walk through the door like she was expecting, she glanced at Reno, "Where's your partner in crime?"

Too busy enjoying the amazing quality of his food, Reno barely paid any attention to the barmaid or her rather suspicious question. It took him a moment before he realized she had asked him something in the first place. With his mouth still very much full, he looked up at the brunette with devilish green eyes and gave her an honest answer before going back to work on his eggs, "Outen uuf bothterth."

Her delicate and feminine features scrunched up in disgust as pieces of egg and bacon came flying her way from Reno's already busy mouth.

"What? And this time, swallow before you answer, please." She demanded, wiping at her face in case anything had landed on her.

She cringed when her finger came away with something slimy and wet. She flicked her hand in disgust and felt the piece of food fly somewhere else. She didn't know how to feel about the fact that Reno's saliva was now marking her face and hand.

"I said, he's putting up posters." Reno clarified after swallowing a large chunk of toast, egg and bacon all in one go.

He took a swig of his spiked orange juice and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his suit jacket. When he looked up at Tifa, he noticed that her burgundy coloured eyes were trained on him in what looked like to be hatred.

He watched her expression curiously; pink lips were tightly set in a frown and her complexion was now pale, accentuating her dark eyebrows that had shot up due to the shock. He wondered if it would kill her to smile at him once in a while.

When she spoke, her voice came through gentle and soft but there was a venomous undertone to it as well, "Reno. Are you telling me Rude is putting up more of those advertisements that I'm always taking off and throwing in the trash?"

Reno's eyes traveled over to the piled up pieces of paper falling over and out of the garbage bin in the Seventh Heaven bar and restaurant.

"Ahhh, so that's where they've been going." He stated, finally figuring out what had happened to all his hard work.

Before he could say anything more, the bald Turk stepped into the bar, sunglasses and goatee still intact. Because he wore those glasses all the time, Tifa could never really tell where he was looking and it bothered her. At the same time as he had stepped inside the bar, the excited and playful cries of the kids filtered into the room as they came running down the stairs. They took Tifa's attention away from the Turk duo long enough for Rude to take his seat next to his erratic, redheaded friend.

"Denzel, Marlene, how many times have I told you not to run down those stairs? Remember what happened the last time you two did that?"

The two children immediately stopped their giggles and hung their heads low with shame as they recalled an unpleasant memory. They looked at Tifa with their large, pleading eyes and pouted innocently in her general direction. Tifa merely shook her head in response, her resolve firm and unmoving.

"Oh, no you don't. Those puppy dog looks will not work on me today." She stated.

"How come it works when Cloud does it, then?" Denzel asked.

Reno smirked while Tifa clammed up at the accusation; her cheeks became rosy with a blush and she started stammering.

"Y-You...I...Th-that..." She attempted.

"I can tell ya kids why he gets away with everything..." Reno said, a devilish grin on his face.

Tifa turned her attention to the Turks once again and glared venomously at the redhead. Marlene ran towards him, taking a seat on the empty stool beside Reno and looked up excitedly at him. Denzel followed closely behind and took his seat next to Marlene, scrutinizing the two strangers with a gaze so similar to Cloud's, one might have thought he was related to him.

"That doesn't matter! You two," Tifa started, finally finding her confidence again and pointing a single slender finger at each Turk respectively, "aren't getting off the hook at all!"

Reno pretended to be shocked while Rude adjusted his glasses, his expression still unreadable. Reno pointed at himself innocently when he posed his next question in a high pitched and dramatic tone, "Who? Me? What could _I_ have possibly done wrong?"

This got him some giggles out of Marlene, but Tifa was very much unamused by his antics; "Don't act cute with me, Reno. I'm getting sick of you two covering the walls of my restaurant with your ridiculous ads and not even asking me first!"

"Okay then, can we put up posters on your bar, Tifa?" The redhead replied.

"Absolutely not!" Tifa bellowed.

"If you two keep putting them up, I will keep taking them down and throwing them into the trash!" She pointed out her overflowing garbage bin again and the effect was not lost.

"Wow! That's a lot of paper, Tifa!" Marlene cried, bouncing off of the stool and running around the counter to pick up one of the advertisements.

When Tifa spoke, her eyes were still focused on the Turks sitting before her, "Marlene, leave it be. It's _garbage_."

She accentuated the last word, her eyes narrowing in a glare at the men. However, this did not stop the little girl from opening up one of the papers and looking it over. She then ran to where Rude was and handed it over to him.

"Can you read it for me, please?" She asked coyly, a cute smile playing along her little mouth.

Tifa was about to say something but instead, simply sighed before getting to work on the bald Turk's usual breakfast order. Maybe doing something productive would calm her nerves down and bring her back to a peaceful state of mind, especially now that she knew she'd have to go back outside and rip the ads off of her walls again. The next time they did it, she would make sure there would be more than just a verbal warning.

Surprisingly enough, the usually quiet Turk took the piece of paper from Marlene's smaller hand and into his gloved one, reiterating its contents verbally in his deep and roughened voice. There were probably only a handful of times that Tifa could recall having ever heard Rude speak at all; it was usually his redheaded friend who loved to do most of the chitchat.

As Rude read it, Denzel had officially lost interest and Tifa seemed to be ignoring her surroundings, too focused on her task instead. Reno was nodding his head in the affirmative the whole time, as if to be agreeing with something, while Marlene was falling victim to his plight; her eyes widened as she took it all in and her face brightened when she learned of the event that was taking place. As Rude finished, he handed the piece of paper back to the little girl and watched her as she stared at it.

"That's so awesome! So is it like a beauty pageant?" She asked excitedly, looking up to Reno for an answer.

"Well, yeah I guess so. But there's more to it than looks, I s'pose. But beauty counts, that's for sure. We're lookin' for some real sexy ladies." Reno winked, his red tattoo scrunching up as he did so.

This seemed to get Tifa's attention, and over the frying pan, she said, "Reno, don't speak like that around a seven year old girl!"

Reno rolled his eyes and Marlene snickered. Tifa didn't hear them over the sound of the frying egg in her pan and it was lucky that she hadn't; she was already in a sour mood and was practically looking for a reason to kick the boisterous Turks out of her bar for good. When she was done and was serving Rude his breakfast, though, Reno didn't hesitate to lean over the counter and look up at her with mischief in his emerald green eyes.

"Speaking of sexy ladies...why don't you go for it, Teefs?"

The tall brunette raised a single brow in question but Marlene spoke up before she could even get a word in, "You should do it, Tifa! I think you'll win for sure! I mean, they basically wrote that thing with you in mind! Please do it, Tifa! Please?"

Tifa looked over at the little girl, her face so full of hope and her eyes shining with such a sudden and fierce admiration that the older woman was suddenly unaware of how to respond. Tifa opened her mouth to reply but, at a loss for words, closed it and looked back at Reno who was gazing up at her with a smirk now.

"Yeah, Tifa. Don't break the little girl's heart; do it for her, why dont'cha?" Reno taunted.

He was rewarded with another glare and it only made his smile widen; he was making a hobby out of tormenting the beautiful barmaid of the slums and was clearly enjoying every passing moment of it. Rude took a sip of his black coffee; he was the only customer who still seemed to remember his table manners when it came to Tifa's food these days. He wasn't trying to scarf as much of it down as he possibly could in a short amount of time, unlike how his friend had been doing only moments before.

Just as Tifa readied her response to Reno's little jibe, Rude found his tongue again and, upon placing the china cup onto the polished wooden counter, he stated his opinion, catching everyone in the entire room off guard, including his own partner.

"I'll have to agree with the little girl; if she enters, Tifa would win with barely any competition. It wouldn't even be fair."

A silence came over the entire room as everyone stared at the bald Turk with the goatee and sunglasses; the latter of which still succeeded in obscuring any form of emotion that would have been easily read through his eyes. Reno's mouth was wide open in response as he stared at his partner while Tifa was, although...pleasantly surprised by the quiet Turk's sudden confession and blushing, still unsure of what the heck she should say about the entire scenario.

Had she just been...nominated?

* * *

**A/N: **_Any type of feedback is welcome. It won't be a super long story seeing as how the concept is pretty simple. It was originally going to be a one-shot but the concept doesn't qualify for that, either. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens. _


	2. Of Double D's and Fanboy Fantasies

**A/N: **_Thanks for all the reviews and feedback! Appreciated. __ Without further ado, here's chapter two._

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter Two:**

**Of Double D's and Fanboy Fantasies**

She was having a hard time believing the fact that she was actually going through with it. The tall and slender woman bit down on the edge of her bottom lip nervously, wondering at what sort of events she was setting herself up for. She pondered this while watching the little girl she had come to consider as family deposit an envelope into the big, shiny red mailbox situated near their home. The contents of that envelope enclosed a crucial piece of paper with Tifa's life signed away on it, all thanks to the whims of a child who had come to furiously admire her guardian.

Tifa could recall the way those large, shiny golden eyes speckled with hints of green had twinkled with excitement, awe and hope when they had landed on the unsuspecting barmaid. They had made such an impact on the buxom brunette that she found herself at a complete loss of words. Just like that, her resolve was shaken and her defensive walls had come crumbling down, leaving Tifa vulnerable and unable to find that confidence she was once so sure of.

It was amazing how a woman who had been confronted with the worst imaginable nightmares from the delicate age of fifteen had her defenses breached by a child's innocent eyes. Alas, Reno had figured out the Achilles heel of the tough-as-nails barmaid and hadn't even spared a second to take advantage of the situation. He whipped out a crinkled piece of paper from his jacket pocket and forked it under her nose, looking smug and sly at the same time. With Marlene watching ever so closely, Tifa had taken it from him but not before she stared vehemently at the obnoxious, redheaded Turk. His grin did not waver; if anything, it seemed to have grown in response to her heated glare. She found the man to be downright infuriating.

Yet, somewhere along the way during her hectic day, she had sat down and, with pen in hand, signed her name onto the flimsy sheet. When she had forked it over back to the Turk duo, they signed it respectively, approval evident in both their expressions. Then, a nod and a wink later, Reno tucked it back into the same pocket he had retrieved it from and walked out of the bar, offering Tifa some reprieve at long last.

And that, as they would say, was that.

Tifa Lockheart was officially nominated for an award she did not even want. Albeit, she had been coerced into doing it.

When Marlene came bounding towards the older woman in merriment, Tifa forced a smile to her lips, masking her original thoughts and feelings.

"I can't wait! I just know you'll win! I just know it!" Marlene cried as she wrapped her little arms around the woman's trim waist and tucked her head into her partially exposed midriff.

Tifa patted the girl's head affectionately, straightening any of the loose strands of dark brown hair in the process.

"Let's go home now, okay? Denzel and Cloud are waiting and you know how cranky they get whenever they don't get dinner on time." Tifa said, her voice soft as she looked down into the very eyes that had defeated her so easily.

Marlene nodded in response and, entwining her hand with her guardian, began walking back towards the bar and their home.

Upon entering the bar, Tifa's gaze wandered, clearly in search of a familiar blonde and his mini copy that always seemed to be stuck on him. Marlene skipped inside and Tifa told her to go wash her hands and fetch Denzel while the barmaid would begin to set up dinner for four. When the little girl was out of sight, Tifa sighed and her smile faltered, finally making her way to the kitchen; it had been a long and busy day. Business was booming now, especially since the threat of geostigma no longer existed. The amount of money she was making each day seemed to be steadily increasing and it made her happy, despite the bigger workload that was being placed on her now. It was still good though; sometimes, she'd get the kids to help out with minuscule tasks whenever she was desperate and it was lunch hour. They seemed to like helping out, anyways.

Needless to say, at the end of the day, all she wanted to do was collapse in her bed, feet kicked up and enter the sweet world of sleep and dreams. As she thought about this while setting up the dinner table, heavy footsteps sounded in the distance, breaking her from a reverie. She looked up to meet the azure gaze of her childhood friend as he exited his study and made his way towards the kitchen and towards where she stood. Without uttering a word, he picked up some dishes and spread them out on the table with her. She smiled at the notion but didn't say anything, either, finding peace and solemnity in the silence.

"How was your day?" Cloud asked, his voice neutral.

It cut through the silence like a knife and Tifa was briefly taken off guard by his sudden interest in small talk. Cloud Strife was, after all, a man of few words. The lack of communication she experienced with the swordsman was something she had not only grown accustomed to, but also something she had found comfort and peace in as well. Needless to say, she still enjoyed the few conversations they did manage to have and was more than happy when it was he who would open up to her first.

With a smile on, she said, "Oh you know, business as usual. Things are picking up, though. We've been getting a lot more of the construction workers in here so lunch hour is always hectic now. Either way, it's a good thing so I won't be complaining."

Cloud went to work on setting up the rest of the eating utensils, never looking up from his task even as Tifa talked. Others who did not know the man would have assumed he was being rude and ignoring her. She was no fool, though; she knew he was listening, all ears on her despite all of that distance.

After a few moments of silence, Cloud posed his next question as innocently as he had his last one, "No more flyers, either?"

Puzzled, Tifa paused in what she was doing and was about to ask Cloud what he had meant, when it hit her; all the events of the morning came rushing back and, with them, all the mixed feelings she was having regarding the subject. She opened her mouth and, at a complete loss for words, closed it and pondered the situation some more. Telling her housemate the truth would carry consequences. Not telling him would also bear consequences of a different nature. Either way, she could not decide in that moment which of the two was the lesser evil. It only took that single moment of hesitance for the ex-SOLDIER to suspect something of his childhood friend.

"You_ did_ take care of it, didn't you?" He questioned, his voice letting slip an unnamed threat.

He turned to look at her, fixing his blue gaze solely on her expression, fair eyebrows furrowed in question as he patiently awaited her reply; a reply that she was still trying to put together. Thankfully for the brunette, she was granted a reprieve in the form of her two charges, who seemed to be in a heated argument, their little voices carrying to the bar.

"Will not."

"Will too!"

"Will not!"

"Will too, will too, will too, will too!"

"Will not, will not, will not, will not!"

Both Tifa and Cloud turned their heads in their direction, currently forgetting the discussion they had just been having, or in Tifa's case, not having. They watched as Marlene stared up into Denzel's uncaring face, tears coating her large hazel eyes and ready to spill at any moment. The older boy, on the other hand, had his arms folded across his chest and looked as if he could care less about the seething little girl in front of him. He looked solid, his resolve unwavering and his determination set into his features, mimicking another male Tifa was all too familiar with. Finally, with tears on the verge of spilling, Marlene turned her anxious gaze on her female guardian, pleading with the very same eyes that had defeated the older woman previously.

"Tifa! Tell Denzel! Tell him that you will win the beauty pageant! He keeps saying that you can't!" Marlene argued, unshed tears shining in her large doe eyes.

The tension spilled off of Cloud like a wave and it hit Tifa pretty hard; she could feel his shift in attitude as he mulled over the situation at hand. Yet, he didn't turn his attention to her the entire time and it was beginning to make her feel nervous. Denzel, in the meantime, rolled his eyes and sighed, letting go of some of his agitation when he spoke next.

"I never said that Tifa _couldn't_ win the competition," He started, looking exasperatingly at the little girl before him, "only that she _wouldn't_ win. Because Tifa isn't going to try. She only did the stupid thing to make you quit whining about it."

With that said, the waterworks were about to begin, Marlene's eyes shining with fresh tears that were beginning to pool in the corners of her eyes. It ate apart at Tifa's soul but what was she going to say? Nothing would appease the child and, although Denzel had told it in a far more harsh way, there was still truth to his words. Lying wouldn't be enough to cover her tracks, and also not the right way to go about doing things.

Defeated again, the child looked at her guardian for answers and a rebuttal that wasn't going to happen. Tifa could do nothing but avert her gaze and stare at the floor.

"You will try...won't you, Tifa?" Marlene cooed, her voice soft and muffled by withheld tears.

When she heard heavy footsteps, she looked to see that Cloud, who was usually apprehensive when dealing with these emotional scraps, was moving towards the children. Marlene's gaze shifted to him and Denzel eyed him curiously. When the ex-SOLDEIR reached them, he stooped down so that he was eye level with them and then, proceeded to ruffle Denzel's hair. Although she could hear the sound of his voice, he was too quiet for her to actually decipher the words he spoke to the children that seemed to be soothing away their worries. Tifa didn't know whether she should have been shocked or threatened.

It was only when the two young wards had dishearteningly decided to retreat to their rooms up the stairs and when Cloud had stood up back to his tall height, did Tifa figure out what feeling she should have been experiencing; guilt. She should have seen it in the final glance Marlene had given her; a look of despair and broken faith. Yet, even as the sound of their tiny footsteps faded away and the sound of their door closing echoed through the bar, Tifa remained frozen behind the counter, staring at the empty plates set up on their rusty wooden dining table. Then, he turned on her.

"I thought you said you were going to take care of things." His voice penetrated the silence, calm and aloof but with a hint of menace hidden beneath.

His eyes focused on her, warm and alien-like at the same time, and glowing a strange blue that was the colour of the ocean. She hugged herself in response as if the coldness in his gaze was making her shiver as well as her skin crawl.

With a sigh, she started the lengthy process of explaining herself, "I was. I mean, I did. Or, I thought I did, anyways..."

He took a few steps towards her while he spoke, "And entering the competition is what you call handling things?"

His expression was blank and empty to any who did not know Cloud Strife, but to Tifa, she could see the tiny crease in his brow that formed as well as the corners of his mouth that were twitching into a frown. Cloud Strife was not calm; he was agitated.

Tifa threw her arms up into the air, "What did you want me to do? Break her heart?"

"Damage has already been done, Tifa."

That stung.

"I...I didn't mean to. She wanted me to enter so badly...And Reno wasn't exactly helping the matter. Either way, what's the big deal? Why are you getting so worked up over it? You know it's just a silly competition! An excuse for ShinRa to enter the good graces of the people of Edge again."

Now she was the one getting annoyed; their fights always tended to go this way, each and every time. Sort of like clock-work, she thought to herself. First he'd be mad, then she'd be mad, then he'd be sad and then she'd feel bad. It was always the usual cycle and somehow, no matter what the content of the argument, they always ended with Cloud Strife apologizing. True story; happened when Tifa broke his nose one time. She couldn't even recall how it had ended the way it did but, she could recall the fact that he had definitely been the one to apologize for _her_ breaking _his_ nose.

Cloud's expression relaxed and some of the annoyance slipped off of his face, "I just don't know why you let those Turks bully you into this."

Tifa's jaw dropped and her anger continued to build, "Bully me? Reno and Rude? That isn't quite how it happened, Cloud. I can take care of myself. Especially around two pesky little Turks."

"Well then, why enter their competition? It was clearly a trap all along." Cloud stated, calm and cool as always.

His collected attitude was only further irritating the buxom brunette. It was going to be a long night.

"A trap? Cloud, Reno and Rude aren't smart enough to set up a trap. Even you know that." She snapped back.

"But, Tifa. You did fall into their trap. Did you even read that flyer?" Cloud questioned, quirking up a single blonde brow.

She was about to yell at him some more before she paused to actually think about his question, "I did read it..." She said, trying to convince herself more than him and recall the content of the advertisement at the same time.

"Good. Then you know that the description was targeted at you." Again, in his matter-of-fact tone.

"And how can you be so certain of that, hmm?" Tifa had her hands on her hips now as she scrutinized her fair haired friend.

Cloud shrugged and then said, "Because the flyers posted around town don't say the same things as the ones posted on your bar do."

There was a moment of silence that followed Cloud's rather casual and nonchalant statement. It felt strange to him since, he had been anticipating more of Tifa's snark. When it didn't come, it worried him. He watched her and noted how her expression began to change. Delicate, feminine features that were set in a triangular face, twisted and contorted as each emotion passed through her. Puzzlement, followed by shock, followed by serious contemplation, and then ending in nothing but pure, unadulterated anger.

Cloud scratched the back of his head and felt relief wash over him; for once, that frightening anger was not being directed at him. For this, he was grateful. Not to mention, seeing Tifa lay down serious hurt on those two Turks would have definitely been a bonus to the whole thing. Suddenly, the smell of dinner was just beginning to get more appetizing.

"Can we eat now, Tifa? I promised the kids I'd tell them the story about the Wall Market in exchange for them to go upstairs. I'm going to need a full stomach if you want me to get through that one again."

So that was how he had done it.

* * *

"_Yet, in the darkness there has been light; it comes in the form of the maiden, the true beauty of the slums."_

"You have got to be kidding me, Rude. You didn't really write this garbage, did you?" Reno's green gaze scrutinized the crinkled paper in his hand, taking in the details of the poster that Rude had made personally.

Rude, with sunglasses still in place, sat at his computer desk and seemed to be typing away, looking cool- as if he could care less. Reno crumpled up the paper in his hand and tossed it aside, stretching out his long legs on the sofa and placing his arms behind his head for support as he rested.

"Who woulda thought that the Turks had a bloody poet?" Reno muttered as he shut his eyes.

Rude's typing was the only noise that echoed throughout the room. His bald friend didn't seem too fazed by Reno's antics or quirky sense of humor. Perhaps that was why they were partners.

"You know..." Reno started, eyes still shut.

A moment later, he turned so that he was lying on his stomach and staring at Rude's muscular figure typing away on his computer. The setting sunlight that filtered through the window made him look like a shadow and Reno was beginning to find it looking a tad bit creepy.

"You should just be honest in that flyer. It's Tifa Lockhart for crying out loud. The last thing a dude thinks about is how much of a 'maiden of the slums' she is..." Reno continued.

Rude stopped typing. His head shifted in Reno's direction and he assumed that he was looking at him from behind his rather spiffy sunglasses. Reno threw him a huge grin and the taller Turk's eyebrow shot up.

"Don't give me that. You know what I'm talkin' about."

Silence. Reno rolled his eyes in frustration.

"If it weren't for that stinkin' emo blonde kid, that flyer would be tellin' everyone a different story."

Still no comment out of Rude. Reno prowled on.

"Sure her food is good..." He started, staring off into space as he drifted on to another dimension in his mind, "...but those double D's are a whole lot better by a long shot."

Rude coughed. Reno chuckled.

"I'll tell ya one thing, though; it's definitely not her food I fantasize about, that's for sure..."

Another muffled cough from his partner.

"Yeah, yeah big boy. You believe in all that maiden crap as much as you believe Elena will start donning pink and watering flowers in a church for the rest of her life."

This time, there was a pause and Reno slid back to his original position on the couch, on his back with hands behind his head. Slowly, both erupted into a light chuckle that seemed to fill the room in mirth.

* * *

"Marlene, what the heck are you doing, now? Didn't Cloud tell you to lay off his cell phone?" Denzel watched patiently as Marlene began to frantically go through Cloud's things in his office.

Luckily enough, their male guardian had his hands full with Tifa at the moment and, from the snippets of the argument, there was no way the brunette was going to give him a moment of peace. They were upstairs in their bedroom with Cloud trying his best to calm Tifa down but, from the angry shouts and the sound of things breaking, he wasn't doing a very good job. So now, Marlene had taken it upon herself to sneak into his office and dig around for Cloud's cell phone and other things.

"Be quiet, Denzel." She whispered, turning on him and glaring viciously.

She then went back to searching the ex SOLDIER's desk drawers and cabinets, underneath his many maps and other junk that seemed to coat the room. Denzel leaned against the doorway, sighing; she had told him to keep watch because he owed her as much. Normally, he wouldn't have complied but, it was his interest in trying to figure out what the little girl was up to that really made him go along with it in the first place.

He decided to voice his concern, "Who are you going to call, anyways? And why can't you just ask him?"

Marlene snickered to herself, "You'll see..." She teased.

"Are you still stuck on making Tifa win that stupid thing? Because there's no way." Denzel stated.

Marlene turned on him, brows furrowed, and hissed; "I'll just get someone to help me since _you_ won't!"

"Like who? You think Vincent or Barret really cares about what goes on in Edge? Especially a beauty pageant? Come on, Marlene..."

No answer. Marlene went back to shuffling through some more of Cloud's things; his clothes. After a few more minutes of this, she paused and turned around to Denzel again.

"Hey Denzel?" She was giving the boy her big doe eyes that shone with a fierce hope and brightness.

He stared through it; he was used to her antics by now; "What?" He asked, nonchalantly.

"Isn't the prize supposed to be like, some kind of ancient and powerful materia that was lost? King Arthur, was it?"

"Knights of the Round. And that can't be true seeing as Cloud has the only one that exists."

"Really? So where is it?"

Denzel watched Marlene with suspicious eyes but she gave nothing away. For a little girl, she was awfully good at being deceitful. Little did her guardians know.

He glared, "Why?"

Marlene smiled before turning back to rummaging through Cloud's clothes, "Oh, nothing!"

Denzel would have pressed on but figured that sooner or later, he'd find out what the girl was up to. It was one of the perks to sharing a room with her. And then, he'd rat her out to Cloud and Tifa and see her get into major trouble for it. He'd enjoy it; being the good kid while Marlene would be considered rebellious. Then, Tifa would love him more than her.

It was a good plan. He smiled secretly and Marlene did the same thing when her tiny fingers clasped around a hard, round object in one of Cloud's pant pockets.

The plan was set in motion; Tifa _would_ win the competition if it was the last thing the little girl did.

* * *

**A/N: **_Not really proofread but, I hope you enjoy it anyways! I'll probably have another read through soon and edit any errors. I'll replace the chapter, then. __ In the meantime, enjoy. Any type of feedback is welcome._


	3. The Look on Cloud's Face: Priceless

**A/N: **_Thanks to all who faved and/or reviewed! Here's chapter three; the story will probably be complete in the next few chapters._

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter Three:**

**The Look on Cloud's Face: Priceless**

"Tifa?"

It was Cloud's inquiring voice that reached her ears from downstairs. She was busy trying to arrange her hair in a bun but it seemed to be growing like a weed these days and proving to be difficult. The kids were sleeping in today but Cloud still had a few deliveries to do. Although, he promised it would be an early day. It was a deal they had made; they'd still arrange business on the weekends, but would be finished before or by six in the afternoon at the latest. Then, together, they'd all work on dinner as a family and simply spend the rest of the evening talking, playing games and giving in to the whims of the children. A few months, and they were still keeping up with it. Not too bad.

"Hmm?" Tifa spoke, her voice muffled by the clip she had temporarily placed in between her lips.

Cloud's response came loud and his tone of voice conveyed irritation; "What is Yuffie doing here so early in the morning and why did you invite her?"

Yuffie? Yuffie was at Seventh Heaven? This was news to Tifa. She quickly adjusted her hair into a sloppy bun and made her way down the flight of stairs. Sure enough, there was the short haired youthful ninja sifting through Tifa's fridge as if the place was her second home.

"Whaddaya guys got to eat around here?" The girl asked, still focused on the contents of the fridge rather than the homeowners.

"Yuffie? What are you doing here? You never said anything about dropping by today." Tifa asked, hands on her hips while she studied the younger girl's small frame.

Cloud sighed while standing next to Tifa, and then folded his arms across his chest. His tolerance and patience with the rather erratic ninja girl was usually a short one. But in the mornings, Cloud was always especially cranky. He looked over at Tifa and shot up a single eyebrow in question; he didn't need to ask, she knew what the look meant.

_"If you didn't invite her, then who did?"_

Unfortunately, she had no idea. Yuffie wasn't the type to just drop by and say hello. No; if Yuffie ever unexpectedly showed up on their doorstep so early in the morning, it was usually because she _wanted_ something. The little thief was always up to something; she always had some ulterior motive and Tifa had learned this the hard way a few years back, when all the materia went missing.

Finally, the slender girl turned around to face her two friends, looking innocent and uninterested at the same time. There was a silence that filled the room as Cloud and Tifa awaited Yuffie's response to the question burning on both of their minds. She gave them a puzzled look in return and cocked her head to the side.

"What? Aren't you guys happy to see me?"

Cloud responded by glaring at her, "Yuffie. Cut to the chase."

The youth rolled her eyes and then hopped on over the bar counter. She wore her trademark shorts, floral print tank top and tan vest. Her slim midriff was very much exposed as well as her long, pale, slender legs. She fixed her jet black bangs with a flick of her wrist and then smiled at Tifa. The barmaid watched her with wary eyes.

"Can't a girl just drop by and say hi?"

Cloud and Tifa spoke at the same time.

Cloud said, "Yuffie, I'm serious." And there was a threat looming in his tone of voice as he said it.

While Tifa stated in exasperation, "No. Not when the girl happens to be you."

She tapped her foot against the wooden floorboards as she began to grow impatient with her old friend. The smile disappeared from Yuffie's face and then she rolled dark brown eyes before hopping onto the counter, where she sat and kicked out her legs.

"I heard about that competition thingie Edge is holding. There's so much fuss, people in Wutai are talking about it! Figured I should check it out for myself." Yuffie stated nonchalantly.

Cloud's expression was unreadable at this new piece of information. Tifa, on the other hand, was beginning to feel embarrassed and she wasn't really sure why. Maybe it had something to do with being forced into such a silly game in the first place; she felt as if the ninja would never cease mocking her if she found out. Yuffie looked directly at the barmaid and then a mischievous smile played along her lips. Tifa gulped; perhaps her worst fears were being recognized.

"I read them flyers outside your bar, Teefs. Sure sounds a lot like someone had you in mind while making them. Ain't that right, Cloudy-poo?"

Tifa stuttered, looking for a way to respond while Cloud glared at Yuffie heatedly; he was not fond of nicknames. Especially any nicknames Yuffie concocted.

"Don't call me that, Yuffie." He said, his voice dripping with annoyance.

Yuffie's smile widened, "You know you enjoy it, Cloudy-poo." She winked at him but Cloud simply sighed and walked away.

Cloud didn't enjoy being confrontational with Yuffie and when he knew a fight was about to start up between the two of them, walking away and ignoring the childish youth seemed wise. And it also had a habit of working perfectly.

With the blond swordsman now preoccupied with preparing his packages, Yuffie turned on Tifa with a glint of evil in her deep brown eyes, "So Tifa, have you thought of entering yet?"

Tifa mumbled something and made sure she was instantly busy with the bar, choosing to ignore Yuffie much like Cloud had. Speaking of which, her childhood friend had again abandoned her to her troubles, having left the bar shortly after he had holstered his sword.

"Aw, come on. I think you could win, you know! Heck..." Yuffie paused, watching Tifa's back before she said the next part, "I can even help you out! I'm good at these kinds of things."

Tifa stopped moving, her body tense. And then she turned on the ninja girl, a perplexed look on her face.

"Since when are you good at being a...a pageant organizer?" Tifa asked.

"Since a rare materia became a prize for winning the stupid thing!"

Quiet. It was Tifa's turn to roll her eyes.

"Figures." The barmaid muttered before returning back to her tasks.

Yuffie hopped off of the counter and dashed around it so that she was now standing next the taller and mature woman. Tifa didn't even so much as look at her; focusing on preparing her ingredients for the day instead.

"Come on, Tifa! Even you know that you can win this thing! And with my help, you don't even have to do any of the work! I'll set up everything; the outfits, the interviews, everything!" Yuffie cried in exasperation.

Tifa sighed and then said, "Yuffie, if you want the materia that badly, why don't you just enter the stupid thing yourself?"

"The damn ShinRa idiots are only taking applicants from the city of Edge. Being from Wutai, I obviously can't apply. So you're my only hope!"

Right at that moment, a sleepy Marlene had come down the stairs, rubbing her eyes and still in her pyjamas. Tifa gave Yuffie a stern look but Yuffie smiled back innocently, as if she had done nothing wrong.

"Now you've gone and woken up the children. Thanks, Yuffie." Tifa walked past her and towards Marlene's small figure.

The little girl looked up into the ruby eyes of her guardian, still seemingly in sleep mode. She yawned a little and stretched out her little arms. Tifa smiled at her before addressing her in a soft, motherly voice, "Marlene, honey, why don't you go back upstairs and get some more sleep. It's still pretty early."

Marlene brightened up just then, her perky attitude obvious in the way she was smiling now. Yuffie scoffed in the background but stole an apple from the fridge while Tifa was preoccupied. She took a bite and watched on with mild interest.

"But Tifa! The competition starts tomorrow! They'll be announcing all the nominees today on the radio! We have to plan!" Marlene cried in excitement.

Tifa seemed to flinch at the news, her eyes growing wide and her smile gone. If it was possible, she looked paler now. She then turned on Yuffie almost instantly, who was still taking large bites of the red apple she had pilfered from Tifa's fridge. Yuffie made no comment but stared on at the ghostly looking barmaid.

"T-tomorrow? It's tomorrow? I have to...do something for it?" Tifa said to no one in particular, rooted to the spot and looking a little bewildered.

Yuffie gulped down a piece of apple before answering her, "Yup. All nominees are expected to introduce themselves via videotape entries. You've gotta look cute; I've seen the competition. You can definitely beat them out, just...not in what you're wearing. And not with that hairstyle."

Yuffie stated, glazing over Tifa's body, from the top of her head and all the way down to her worn out and dirty shoes. She shuddered but took another bite of the apple, almost at the core now. Marlene bounced around Tifa and stared up at her with those big eyes.

"Yeah, Tifa! All you need is something cute to wear! Do you have any ideas?" Marlene smiled.

Tifa was beginning to feel self-conscience. She stared down at her outfit; simple white tank top, black zip up vest, black boy shorts and converse. What was wrong with comfy and casual? Cute always meant _un_comfortable and itchy in Tifa's tomboyish mind. Plus, she had tried the long hair thing and it only ever got in her way. Not to mention it got caught on everything. So she had chopped it off. She liked it at this length; much more manageable. Marlene had cried when she saw her new look while Cloud had seemed a little...let down. But he had told her it looked great, anyways. Denzel couldn't have cared less about Tifa's dark, shiny locks.

"I don't own anything cute." Tifa blurted out, shaking her head as she said it.

Cute wasn't practical. Especially in the type of occupation she had. It wasn't to say that she didn't enjoy cute things; she did. She filled Marlene's drawers to the brim with all sorts of cute clothes and accessories. But she had reached the conclusion long ago that buying cute things meant she'd only ever get to wear them once in a blue moon. Who dressed up when they were staying at home? See, it was not practical. And so Tifa Lockhart had boycotted everything 'cute'.

Both Yuffie and Marlene's faces dropped as they took in this bit of information. Marlene took it harder, sadness lurking behind those big eyes and a pout on her small mouth. Tifa couldn't help that, though. Then she looked at Yuffie and saw her smile. The little ninja girl then patted Tifa's back gently before offering her two cents.

"No worries, Tifa! That's why I'm here! I've got you covered!"

The hyper thief then dashed out the bar door and seemingly disappeared for a few minutes. Both Marlene and Tifa watched the bar entry for a while, wondering what on Earth the girl was going to bring in. Marlene was smiling though while Tifa was beginning to feel uncomfortable again. With Marlene watching, there was no way Tifa could opt out of this thing. She'd have to perform at her best or risk the girl hating her forever. But she just wasn't any good at being a demure, perfect female. It just wasn't...Tifa.

Yuffie came bounding through the door, a bunch of bags and boxes in her arms. She was struggling with them but managed to kick the door open without aid. Tifa flinched but Marlene clapped her hands in excitement when Yuffie plopped everything onto the bar floor. She then dusted off her hands and smiled victoriously. Marlene ran for the boxes and bags and started the adventure of going through them.

"I brought you some stuff to help you prepare! Told you to just leave everything up to me! Yuffie Kisaragi; mastermind ninja extraordinaire, at your service!" She shouted, hands on hips in a victory stance.

Tifa put a hand on her forehead in an attempt at fighting off an oncoming headache. Why did she feel like she was going to regret all of this? Oh, right; because she already was.

"Uhm...Yuffie? What is this thing?" Marlene questioned.

Both the women in the room turned their attention to what was in the little girl's hands. It was lacy; very lacy. And very, very, very small. Marlene held it open and Tifa's eyes bulged. Yuffie snatched at the garment but Marlene was quick. She examined it with curiosity. She held it by the thin, baby pink spaghetti straps so that everyone could see. It had a very low neckline and it was pure lace and shimmery flowers. It was also very much see-through and Tifa didn't need to use her imagination to figure out what it was.

She grabbed it out of Marlene's hands and crumbled it up into a ball of soft pink and violet lace before tossing it at Yuffie. She blushed furiously and then gave the younger woman a look that told her she demanded some form of an explanation for the skimpy piece of clothing.

"Well, they did say there would be a modelling portion in the videotape. Lingerie was included on the list! As was bikini and-"

Yuffie was cut off by an outraged Tifa; "A BIKINI?"

Both Yuffie and Marlene looked at the frazzled barmaid when she had her sudden outburst. Tifa's jaw dropped and then she started shaking her head furiously.

"No one said anything about wearing a bikini in front of the entire city of Edge. Whoever invented this competition obviously has a sick mind!" Tifa cried, heading back the safety of her bar counter where work awaited her.

Marlene chased after her while Yuffie packed away the revealing lingerie dress back into the opened box it came from.

"Tifa!" the child cried, looking on hopelessly at her guardian's back.

Yuffie stood next to Marlene, mouth in a firm line before she addressed her friend, "It is a beauty pageant, Tifa. Modelling clothes is part of it. You should have seen this one coming."

Tifa sighed and paused in her work. She then turned around and faced her audience. Yuffie wore a look of determination while Marlene stressed her puppy dog eyes and hoped they would break Tifa's spirit once again.

"I...a bikini, though? Can't it be...a one piece?" She pleaded, knowing she had dug her grave too deep at this point.

She could still _try_ to keep her modesty, though. Yuffie rolled her eyes and said, "Pfft. One pieces are for grannies. Besides, you were the one who fought in a mini skirt and tank top. Why so worried about being a good girl now?"

Tifa just glared before replying; "Fine, then I'll be a granny. One piece or nothing, Yuffie!" Tifa complained, eyebrows furrowed.

"Nothing? Tifa, I don't think they permit nudity in these things. Although, I'm sure if you sent a private tape in to the judges, it may just increase our chances-"

"No! That isn't what I meant, Yuffie! One piece or I don't do it at all!"

Marlene looked up at Yuffie, like one who would gaze upon their role model or saviour. Even the fearsome ninja girl found herself crumbling to the whims of the child; and she hated kids.

"Fine! I'll get you a bloody one piece. But, this means you are entering this thing, right? You'll apply? I think it isn't too late if you call them now." Yuffie said.

Marlene giggled, "Tifa's already entered! The fire haired guy and the nice bald mind with the sunglasses got her to fill out the paper. We mailed it out already."

Yuffie fist pumped in the air, "Perfect! Makes my life easier this way. Anyways, we better get started on this tape if you want to have any hope of making the cut! Let's get started. Move it, Lockhart!" Yuffie jumped over the counter and started shoving a very reluctant Tifa out of the bar by pure force.

"W-wait! I still have a business to run! Can't we do this later?" Tifa cried in desperation.

"Marlene, be a doll and change that 'OPEN' sign outside to 'CLOSED'! No can do, Tifa! We only have today and we've got a LOT of work to do! I'm sure missing one Saturday won't kill your business. Now let's get going!"

Marlene saluted Yuffie before running to the window and changing the sign. She also turned off the bar lights and locked the door. At this point the thief had managed to get the martial artist all the way to the stairs.

"If you're serious about this thing, Tifa, then you have to make compromises! I'm sure Cloud won't mind! Up the stairs, come on!"

Tifa's grumbling clearly held no merit; Yuffie would have her way and it was all because of Marlene. The little girl snickered to herself when both women were out of earshot; everything was going according to plan and Denzel still had no clue; that boy could sleep through a war.

* * *

The time displayed on his cell phone was telling him it was six in the afternoon on the dot. Grimacing, he quickly hopped onto Fenrir and revved up its engine, listening to its soft purring for a brief moment. He put on his glasses, leaned forward and hit the accelerator as hard as he could. The bike roared to life and sped through the dry and dead lands surrounding the city of Edge. The cold wind whipped hard against his face but he only sped up even more, knowing that being late was going to grant him a nasty lecture from Tifa. Fenrir obeyed and the dirt flew around him as the wheels of the bike imprinted in the ground.

At the dangerous speed he was going at, he would arrive at the bar in less than ten minutes. By the time he had entered the city, it was five past six. Not bad, considering it usually took him twenty minutes to get through all the dead land surrounding the city.

He eased Fenrir into a slow and steady pace as he entered traffic. He patted it lovingly on the side as if to hush its engine and cool it down from the intensity he had just put it through. He felt it hum underneath his fingertips.

When he reached Seventh Heaven, he parked the bike outside the back and removed his glasses. Pulling out his cell phone, he glanced at the time again. Fifteen minutes late. Tifa was going to rail on him for sure. He sighed and then began making his way towards the door. As he turned the doorknob open, he heard little voices coming from upstairs, one of which belonged to his childhood friend. He shook his head, locked the door behind him and took off his dirty shoes, leaving them on the mat.

As he drew closer to the stairs, he heard some shouting. One was definitely Tifa and the other sounded like...Yuffie?

Cloud's eyes widened; the ninja girl was still there? Had Tifa invited her to stay for dinner? That definitely didn't sound like her. Inviting herself sounded a lot more like the Yuffie he knew. Mentally preparing himself, he trudged up the stairs.

"Come on, Tifa! Let me see it! It can't possibly be that bad!" Yuffie cried from outside the bathroom door.

"No, Yuffie. There is no way I'm coming out in this...thing! I'm taking it off, right now!" Tifa's voice came slightly muffled from inside the locked bathroom.

Yuffie banged on the door and cried out, "Tifa, we have to do this! Stop being such a sourpuss and let's just get this over with!"

Cloud paused on the last step and stared at Yuffie. She tapped her foot impatiently against the floor and had her hands balled up into fists at her side. It took her a while to notice Cloud's looming presence. When she did turn around and acknowledge his spiky blond hair, her eyes widened and she ran towards him. Cloud braced himself for an attack of some sort. But it didn't come. Yuffie brought a finger up to her mouth and indicated for Cloud to remain quiet. She then ran back to the bathroom door and knocked on it again.

"Tifa, any year now! Seriously, we need to film this part! It's the last bit you have to do anyways. If you come out and do it now, I'll call it a day and leave!"

There was silence from inside the bathroom. Even though Cloud had a feeling he should have interfered, he was slightly interested in what the whole mess was about. He was also wondering where the children had gone off to. It was unusual to come in at this time and not hear their ecstatic voices echoing throughout the house.

"If we do this...you'll leave?" Tifa asked, her voice softer now.

Yuffie rolled her eyes, "Yes. I'll vanish. Yeesh, way to hurt a girl's feelings but if that's what it takes to get this over with, then I'll be gone."

Again, silence. Cloud got comfortable at his spot and watched the door to the bathroom. There was no light where he stood and so he was obscured in darkness. He was beginning to grow tired of Yuffie's game, though.

Just as he had made up his mind and was about to interfere, he heard the lock on the bathroom door click and watched as it slowly opened, light filtering into the hall. Tifa's face poked out and she looked completely flushed. Cloud examined her face; there was something different about it. Was that...make-up?

Her naturally thick eyelashes were heavier and longer from a serious amount of black mascara, a black liner was applied to accentuate ruby coloured eyes and there was most certainly a hint of pink blush on her porcelain cheeks. Her plump and red lips looked even more tantalizing and inviting from the sheer gloss that had been applied.

Cloud had unfolded his arms now and they sat limply at his sides; what was Tifa up to wearing this much make-up, that even he was able to notice it?

"Come on, Tifa! We don't have all day!" Yuffie groaned, standing in Cloud's way so that Tifa wouldn't be able to see him.

Why would she do that? The sneaky little ninja was definitely up to some sort of prank. Cloud's eyebrows furrowed and he decided enough was enough. He was going to catch the thief red-handed and figure out what she was plotting before she got too far. But by the time he had made his presence known, Tifa had exited the bathroom entirely until she was standing in the hall with the light filtering through the wide open door.

Cloud stopped in his tracks, his hand still out stretched to grab Yuffie out of the way. His eyes widened and he felt all the blood drain from his face. Even Yuffie let out a little yip and jumped backwards when she saw Tifa's full figure. But she recovered quick and proceeded to move out of Cloud's way to give him the full impact.

"Well...if I've never questioned my sexuality before, this would be the first time." Yuffie spoke, her voice soft and empty while her eyes roamed Tifa's body in the skimpy one piece that the Wutain girl had managed to scour out for her.

It was a brilliant shade of red, crimson and rich like freshly spilt blood. Even though it was a one piece, it still left very little to the imagination. It acted as a halter, tying at the nape of Tifa's neck. Then, the two pieces of red cloth worked their way down, covering very little of Tifa's breasts. They only converged in the shape of a diamond, right below her belly button and before her crotch. Other than that, the bathing suit covered nothing else. Her stomach, her back, ninety percent of her chest and her thighs were all out in the open, pale flesh tender and bright against the contrasting red of the suit.

Cloud felt a heat rise up to his face as he took in the image of his usually conservative childhood friend. Sure, she had her mini skirt and tank top. But this was the most flesh Tifa had ever exposed in front of him. Ever. He was unsure of how to handle it or what he should have been feeling.

Something felt like it was tugging at his loins and he tried to ignore it but, the more he looked at her, the stronger it became. Then Tifa saw him staring at her and everything came crashing down.

* * *

**A/N: **_I think I enjoy torturing Cloud too much in this way. :)_


	4. Frosted Cupcakes & Chocolate Kisses

**A/N: **_Appreciating all the lovely feedback everyone has been providing. Thanks. :) The story is drawing to a close, though. Next two chapters might be the last. But then I start some new stuff, which is exciting for me. And hopefully for any interested readers, too :D. _

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter Four:**

**Frosted Cupcakes and Chocolate Kisses  
**

She was going to kill that little conniving ninja once she got her hands on her. Oh yes, it would be the end for Yuffie Kisaragi, that was for sure. Normally, she'd let her get away with all of the crap she pulled, but purposely allowing Cloud to see her while she was...

Ugh, she didn't even want to think about it. She shut her eyes and blocked out Yuffie's maddening attacks against the bathroom door. She was not coming out. Not now and maybe, not ever. How was she going to look the man in the eye after how he had just seen her? Tifa Lockhart, after all, had some severe body image issues. Not that she felt ugly or fat. But when puberty had snuck up on her all those years ago, it had still been unkind in other ways. So much so that getting harassed by the opposite gender started to become routine. Then she met Zangan and he had taught her how to defend herself and then some.

Yet, she still found herself uncomfortable in bathing suits and underwear, especially around males. Especially around a male she lived with. Most especially with a male she had feelings for.

"You're going to have to come out eventually, Lockhart. I'm not leaving until we get this thing filmed. So get your half naked tush out here ASAP."

She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell the younger girl where she could take her own tush, but the nagging memory of Marlene was still haunting her and she knew how disappointed she'd be after all the effort she'd put it. She'd be let down that after everything, Tifa was just going to quit. Tifa was many things, but a quitter wasn't one of them.

After taking in a deep breath, she faced the door and decided to open it. Yuffie stood huffing and puffing, foot tapping against the hardwood floor and camera in hand.

Rolling her eyes, the ninja girl said, "Well thank goodness. It's about time. Now let's go. Cloud's in his study, so stop fretting, Cinderella."

"I don't think Cinderella would be caught dead in this thing." Tifa muttered under her breath while she carefully stepped out of the bathroom, looking around for any familiar signs of blonde hair.

"Yeah, like the fairytale would tell you what Cinderella really did to get the prince to remember her."

"Yuffie, you grew up one sick and twisted child, you know that?" Tifa stated, following after the girl.

"Yeah, yeah. Blame the 'rents."

"Let's just get this over with before Denzel gets curious." Tifa sighed, hoping that Marlene would really be able to keep him distracted enough from sneaking into the video recording.

When they reached her bedroom, Yuffie picked up the camera and indicated for Tifa to sit on a stool she had stolen from the bar.

"Sit, sit!"

Once Tifa was on the stool, the girl flipped on the video camera and, a cheeky grin plastered onto her face said, "And, action!"

* * *

_- The Next Day –_

He was trying really hard to remain focused on his tasks. But he had already missed the exit he had to take twice in a row and was running very late for his deliveries. It didn't help that he hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night, either.

Cloud Strife cursed out loud, growing more and more irritated at the way the day was shaping up. He revved Fenrir and made a sharp U-turn, not caring much for angry traffic or honks he was getting from the other citizens of Edge. He was having a bad day and it was mostly due to the fact that he couldn't keep his head straight.

Or, out of the gutter, anyways.

Tifa Lockhart was his childhood friend. She was his best friend. No one knew him better. She was the person he wanted to live with and grow old with. She was the one who kept him company and helped him cure all the loneliness and other crap he had gone through. She had been there for him even when he had become a failure, a brain dead vegetable, a pathetic weakling and an ass of a man. It had been Tifa. The woman deserved to be respected and cherished.

And yet, he couldn't help but fawn over the mental image of her in that bathing suit, like he was fourteen all over again. At the mere thought, he saw her again in his mind. In response, Cloud shook his head furiously, as if to be shaking the picture out of his mind. He then pressed Fenrir forward, making the bike move even faster, jetting in between slower moving vehicles in front of him in an effort to clear his mind.

He would not think of Tifa in such a compromising way. He would not. He was a grown man now and childish, immature thoughts were no longer excusable.

But he missed the right turn he was supposed to take and an image of Tifa dressed in a crimson coloured bathing suit was railing at him in his mind.

He couldn't wait to just get home...

* * *

"Talents! Got any?"

"...Talents? Um..."

"Tifa! You can't tell me you have no talent!"

"I do! I'm a martial artist; I've mastered every kind thanks to Zangan."

The erratic ninja girl rolled her eyes at the taller brunette in front of her.

"Oh, yes. Because guys would totally vote for a chick who can hand their ass to them on a silver platter, right? Can't you think of something a bit more...feminine?" She chimed.

Tifa shuffled her feet and didn't know what to say in response to that. Flashes of a beautiful, long pink dress dancing atop golden flowers and bright green grass played in her mind. Ribbon shaped pink lips curved into a smile and delicate brown curls framed a heart shaped face. She could hear the faint chime of tinkling golden bangles on pale wrists, like a distant but pleasant memory.

"If only _she_ were here...She'd be so much better at this sort of thing." Tifa whispered under her breath, her eyes getting misty when she recalled the memories involving an unforgettable flower girl from the slums.

"Huh? What was that, Tifa?" Yuffie peered closer at the suddenly stoic bartender.

Tifa hugged herself, the goose bumps forming on her bare arms before she spoke, "I just...I'm no good at this, Yuffie. I'm no 'beauty of the slums' or some charming woman everyone seems to think I am. I'm a woman who runs her own business, trying to raise two kids and just make a living after all the tragedy I've had to witness. I just...make the best of this life, because if I don't, he won't. And then _her_ death will have meant nothing, nothing at all."

There was a moment of silence, the bar suddenly filled with an endless quiet as both women recalled the painful memories they had tried so hard to bury in the past.

When the ninja girl spoke, her voice came out a little more shaky than usual, "Let's not...go there, k? Let's just focus on the task at hand. Think about Marlene and how much she wants this of you. That little girl looks up to you, woman!"

Tifa sighed and looked up into the deep brown eyes of the girl before her, "Cooking." She stated.

"Huh?" Yuffie cocked her head to the side and stared at Tifa with a curious expression.

"I like to cook. I think I'm pretty good at it, too. The restaurant has won many awards after the geostigma went away." The martial artist glanced at the CLOSED sign in the front window and wondered when she'd resume her normal activities again with her usual customers.

Yuffie jumped into the air and it made Tifa's heart leap out of her chest, "Yes! That's perfect! Every man loves food! You'll get tons and tons of votes if you cook some awesome desserts in a cute outfit!"

"Wait...what? Desserts, cute outfit? Yuffie..." Tifa interjected, raising her hands in defence, but it was too late; the little ninja girl had the gears in her head already turning and she started bustling around the house, in search of her mystery box.

"Yuffie! I didn't say anything about cute outfits! And desserts are easy! Anyone can make desserts...I was thinking more along the lines of an infamous dish I invented..."

"Tifa, cupcakes and muffins and whipped cream and cute pink fluffiness wins votes. No one cares about individual dishes, here! This ain't no cooking competition! It's a beauty pageant!"

"But-" Tifa started, and yet, watching the little thief run about in her bar clearly in her own world, she gave up and sighed instead.

There was no way of changing her mind, now.

"Can you at least tell me what the plan is? So I know what to expect." Tifa asked, conceding defeat.

Yuffie paused in her search and when she turned to look at Tifa, there was a mischievous glint in her eye that made Tifa begin to feel a little wary...and perhaps nervous, as well.

* * *

Home.

He wanted to go home.

He had been wrestling his demons throughout his entire delivery runs before finally concluding that he needed to talk to Tifa about everything, even though it would be a challenge. It was the only way he'd be able to gain a peace of mind. He was going to force himself to communicate with her in order to lessen the impact the previous day's events had on him. And so, he had decided to cut his deliveries short and head home early.

Not that it was a bad thing; he always looked forward to going home, especially after the events of geostigma. Being with his family, somewhere quiet and warm, provided him with a comfort he found nowhere else. It had taken him a life threatening disease, a possibility of losing all he loved and a fight with his archenemy to realize it, but in the end, it had been worth it. He smiled at the thought of how ecstatic the kids were going to be when they saw him enter the bar this early on in the day. At the thought, he spurred Fenrir on and moved faster.

Except, when he reached the bar, he was greeted with a sight most unexpected...

Cloud stopped Fenrir a little away from the bar and removed his goggles from his eyes. The city of Edge was always a busy one and it was true that lately, Tifa's business was booming. But what Cloud was seeing now simply seemed completely absurd. There was a gigantic crowd of people surrounding the entrance of 7th Heaven, a large majority of them being male. There were so many people that not all could fit in the bar and so, Cloud spotted Reno and Rude manning the entry, allowing only a few in at a time when others exited. The line-up to get into the place was now as long as the street itself and there were numerous cars parked on the road close by as well. Cloud noticed a few cameramen and interviewers lodged deep into the crowd, each from a different company, whether it was newspaper, radio or television.

A million questions were buzzing around in Cloud's head while he took in the scene in its entirety. It was sheer madness outside of 7th Heaven. Madness. But the main persistent question that plagued him the most was the one concerning the safety of his family. Everything else didn't matter as of yet. He needed to know where Tifa, Marlene and Denzel were in all this mess. However, the only way into the bar at the moment seemed to be the front entrance and judging from the size of the crowd, getting in was not going to be a walk in the park. Cloud had no patience for lines; besides, this was _his_ house. He shouldn't have to wait to get in.

Lifting his leg over Fenrir, Cloud got off of his trusty bike and equipped his sword, just in case. He then began walking towards the surge of people crowding around his home. When he reached what seemed to be the end of the line, he caught a bit of discussion from the burly and dumb looking men waiting to get inside.

"I love cupcakes. How good do ya reckon they'd be?"

"I hear she's the best cook in town these days. So they gotta be pretty delicious, right?"

"Well, duh. Just lookit this crazy line! Anyone willin' to wait this long for some plain ol' cupcakes would be crazy."

Cupcakes? Since when did Tifa start selling cupcakes? Cloud pondered, wondering why Tifa hadn't mentioned a new dessert menu to him. Besides, it wasn't like her to be baking. She would indulge the kids every now and then but it was something she always considered too easy. The Tifa Lockhart he knew always preferred a challenge, especially when it came to culinary techniques.

Seeing as how no one was moving and not really being someone with a lot of patience, Cloud decided it was about time he just squeezed in. May the gods protect Reno and Rude when he reached them; he was going to skin them alive for this bullshit.

Cloud pushed his way past a few taller men and he got a few nasty looks, but his sword served him well. One glance at it and no one made a peep to him. Or at least, most of them didn't stop him. It didn't mean they wouldn't complain once he was past them.

"Hey! What's that chocobo headed jerk think he's doing, budding the line?"

"Hey asshat! Gotta wait your turn for them cupcakes, too."

"Yeah! We all want one, too, ya know. Get to the back of the line."

"No cutting!"

Cloud ignored the angry remarks and just continued to shove anyone in his way; bigger or smaller than him, it didn't matter. When he drew closer to the front of the bar, he was suddenly yanked backwards by his shirt. He stumbled and was knocked into a rock-solid chest. Then, he was spun around like a doll until he was staring at the very place he had bumped into. Feeling furious and agitated, he glared up into the face of the man who had thought it was wise to have made such a move. Some people in the crowd were watching now.

"If I were you, I'd go to the back of the line, pal." The man threatened, smiling sinisterly at Cloud while not loosening his grip on his top.

He was the epitome of big, bulky and stupid. He wore a filthy wife beater and he was completely bald. Cloud didn't care what the man looked like; he was going to get inside his home, find Tifa, get an explanation and move on with his life. Anyone who was going to get in his way was going to get a beat down. He was in a foul mood as it was, having had his mind so preoccupied with Tifa, missing his deliveries, and creating an uncomfortable rift between himself and his childhood friend. The man's cupcakes were just going to have to wait.

"Let go of me." Cloud hissed, his voice holding a threatening edge to it.

The man didn't back down, still wearing his smug smile. He tightened his hold on Cloud's shirt, twisting it around his meaty fist. He then bent his head low enough to meet Cloud's shining cerulean eyes and glared into them.

"You don't scare me, little boy. Back of the line. You'll get to see your fair share of nice titties today, but I get to have a squeeze first. You can have whatever's left over." He spat, a bit of the wetness making contact with Cloud's skin.

It took him a while to get the gist of what the guy had said. His face contorted into one of confusion while he tried absorbing it.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cloud snapped, growing truly irritated enough to snap free of the man's vice-like grip.

He seemed to be surprised at Cloud's strength, disbelieving that he had gotten away so easily with his shirt still intact. Both hands turned into angry fists now and his smile turned into a snarl.

Cloud's hand reflexively went to the hilt of his sword, ready to free it and use it against the man. Although he knew he couldn't draw it, seeing as how its size would bloody up a majority of the crowd surrounding the bar as well, it was simply instinct. Still, it served as a threatening notion and that was all Cloud needed. Nonetheless, someone decided to interject and save the man from meeting his ultimate doom.

"Woah, woah! No fightin' here! You'll be gettin' kicked out of the line for good and no cupcakes for you, then."

Cloud recognized the voice to belong to the redheaded Turk, Reno, and so, didn't remove his gaze from the bulky man before him. He glared at him with a vicious intent, trying his best to scare him off; he didn't have time to fight. He could deal with the Turks at a later time as well. Tifa and the kids were priority number one.

"This here spiky ass is buddin' the damn line. If you kick anyone out, it should be him." The man said, pointing a large finger at Cloud.

"Right, right. No budding, pal. Outta the line." Reno motioned.

He smirked cheekily at Cloud and indicated with his thumb that he needed to get out of the line-up. Cloud turned his angry glare upon the redhead and noticed that people were keeping a distance from him now. He didn't need any other motive; he drew his blade, albeit carefully so that he wouldn't swipe anyone innocent in the process. Reno backed up when the shine of Cloud's sharp sword aimed at his neck.

"Don't piss me off any further, Reno. Take me to Tifa." Cloud stated.

The crowd had suddenly grown quiet and he had a feeling there were cameras trained on him at this point. But he didn't care. He was running out of patience. Reno's hands came up defensively and he tried to back away from the mesmerizing shine of Cloud's blade.

"Hey, come on, now buddy! I'm just playin'! Of course I'll take you to Tifa. No probs. Just, put that thing away, okay?"

Cloud didn't sheathe his sword but he did give Reno some more breathing room, "Don't worry about me. Start clearing a path."

Reno smiled nervously, showing a set of pearly whites. And then he began walking, telling the people in line to step to the side. Some began to grumble but when they saw the massive sword lying limp in Cloud's hand, they were quick to go quiet. Cloud trained his gaze onto the back of Reno's fiery red spikes and ignored everyone around him. Tifa. He'd get to Tifa first and then deal with all these people surrounding his home.

When he reached the doors, Rude gave him an acknowledging look but, thanks to his dark shades, Cloud couldn't make out anything else about the mysterious Turk. He sheathed his sword then and gave Reno a venomous stare that told him they weren't finished. The redhead just scratched the back of his head and returned to his duty of manning the entrance with his partner.

"No one else comes in until I sort this out, got it?" Cloud demanded.

Before either of the Turks could even protest, Cloud slammed the bar door in Reno's face once he was inside. He then bolted it and the door clicked as it locked.

The inside of the bar was busy but not as packed as Cloud was assuming it would have been. There were definitely more reporters and cameras inside than outside, though. They all seemed to be clustered around the main bar table where Tifa served up the food and drinks on her regular business days. Today, Cloud concluded, was definitely not one of those days.

He squeezed past the people in here, too. He ignored their grumbles and curses as well, focused on finding Tifa. He glimpsed chocolate hair from behind the bar as well as something...pink?

Was that pink?

Cloud squinted, moving the bodies before him, trying to figure it out.

When he reached the front of the bar, he saw Tifa.

He stood frozen, rooted to the spot as if he was super glued to the floorboards themselves. His eyes had widened and he didn't know if his jaw had dropped but it didn't seem unlikely. He could feel the blood draining from his face and he was just glad that she hadn't taken notice of him standing there, yet. He watched her, knowing what it was doing to him and yet mesmerized and unable to look away. Marlene and Denzel were busy helping her out with the baking and the smell of sweetness, chocolate and bread goods filled the bar. Yuffie was too busy dealing with all the press and media attention to take notice of Cloud, while Tifa was preoccupied with charming the pants off of her new customers.

Not that it was too difficult to do, considering the outfit she was wearing.

Cloud blushed when he found his eyes travelling to her dangerously low décolletage. Tifa Lockhart was wearing practically see-through lingerie while serving up cupcakes with icing that seemed to be matching her entire get up. Pink and violet lace with shimmering flowers of similar colors, fit snugly against Tifa's curvaceous form, making sure to hug every bit of her. The dress was extremely short, barely making it past her upper thighs and it was suddenly no surprise that most of her customers had become males.

Even her accessories were matching the pattern of the lingerie. Brand new pearl drop earrings in a shade of lavender, tinkling bracelets in pinks and purples glittered on her slender wrists and a soft hint of make-up aimed to accentuate the outfit brought it all together. Cloud had never seen Tifa so dolled up before, not even at Don Corneo's mansion all those years ago. Seeing her in this way, a bright smile plastered onto glossed, full lips and a rosy blush colouring her cheeks, was a new experience for Cloud.

When she moved about the bar, lending a hand to Marlene and Denzel, Cloud heard the distinct tapping of heels against wood and knew she was working in uncomfortable shoes. If only he could think straight, he'd question her outfit instead of ogling her like the rest of the men in the bar were.

Then it hit him, like a cold bucket of water being thrown over his head, he realized it. He recalled the bald man's words from outside and he finally got a grip on what it was he had meant.

_"You don't scare me, little boy. Back of the line. You'll get to see your fair share of nice titties today, but I get to have a squeeze first. You can have whatever's left over."_

His reaction may have been slow but it was only a few seconds before Cloud started seeing red. He removed his eyes from Tifa's impressive figure and looked around the bar.

Men.

Men were everywhere.

They littered the place and each one looked like a slime ball to Cloud. Each one had an ulterior motive; none were here for the sweet cupcakes that Tifa was baking. No, these men had their eyes on something totally different. Another kind of cupcake; a cupcake that, in Cloud's mind, did not belong to anyone. He started to feel such rage and such anger, it overwhelmed him and before he could think, he acted. Cloud Strife turned his back to Tifa and faced the massive onslaught of excited males in the room.

And then he drew his sword for the second time that day.

The bar was far too noisy though, and so the sound his sword made as it sliced air was drowned out into the busy chatter of all the people inside. But no one was able to ignore the massive presence of a blade that was wielded by a man with strange, glowing eyes. A few seconds and there was nothing but quiet in the bar as all eyes landed on the pissed off blonde clutching the vicious looking weapon. He glared at the people around him, thrusting the blade forward and not turning to see the way Tifa, Denzel, Marlene and Yuffie were gawking at him.

When he spoke, he was only capable of a single word, "Out."

Nobody moved. He glanced around him again but no one even flinched. Some of the guys were giving him dirty looks while the cameramen were filming it all.

He spoke again, raising his voice this time, "I said, GET OUT!"

He sliced the air in front of him and motioned to the door with the blade. Finally, someone managed to unlock the bar door and people started leaving. The crowd grew smaller by each passing moment. Reno and Rude watched from the exit while people shoved past them. They saw Cloud with the sword in hand and didn't bother to investigate. When the last cameraman and reporter were gone, Cloud was at the exit and, again, shut the door in Reno's face before he was given a chance to demand an explanation. He locked it and heard the Turk's angry voices and fists from behind. He ignored them and stood, fuming on the spot.

No one said a word. Nobody moved. Not even Tifa. Who was still blushing furiously at the fact that Cloud had seen her dressed in such a way..._again_. She was too flustered at the moment to pick an argument with him about his brash behaviour. The ninja let out a sigh and Cloud turned on her.

"You, get out." He demanded.

Yuffie was about to open her mouth in protest but Cloud pointed his blade at her and interjected before she had the chance; "Now, Yuffie."

She kissed her lips and huffed and puffed, but made her way out anyways. She stuck out her tongue at Cloud just as she opened the door and walked out. Reno was busy playing nice in front of some pissed off news reporters while Rude watched on; neither noticed the ninja girl's exit. Cloud shut the door behind her for good, locking it again. He then turned his attention to the kids.

They were both covered with patches of flour and icing and they both definitely needed a bath. Cloud didn't point his sword at them because Marlene was already looking shaky and Denzel just looked stunned witnessing this different side to his guardian.

In a softer voice than he had used on the others, he commanded, "Denzel, upstairs. Take a bath and change. Marlene, go to your room and wait for Denzel to finish."

Neither argued and Cloud couldn't help but feel a little proud that they had actually obeyed without a single complaint. Tifa was the parenting guru and he hated that she always bested him when it came to dealing with the kids. But his victory was going to have to wait for the moment. When he heard the bathroom door close and another bedroom door shut, Cloud finally brought his eyes back to Tifa. She still looked stunning and he had to force himself to remain focused on her face.

She hugged her bare arms and looked away nervously. Long, dark hair cascaded down her back and covered porcelain skin but there was nothing she could really do about the see-through material of the nightgown. There was also little she could do about the plunging neckline, unfortunately for Cloud. His sword fell to his side and he felt a bit of his anger seep away. He walked to the windows and drew the curtains closed, in case any peeping toms were going to try something. It was enough time for Tifa to finally remember she had a voice.

"Cloud...I-I can explain all this."

He gave her the profile of his face, blue eyes trained on the floorboards; anywhere but at her. His silence allowed her to continue.

"It was all Yuffie's idea. You see, one of the parts to the pageant includes a talent portion and, you know I like to cook...so Yuffie suggested baking. She said it was feminine and would win me more votes, so I agreed. And then she convinced me that this outfit would help draw more attention to my store. And attention is what I need to get even more votes since most of the voters tend to be males."

Cloud rubbed at his temples and took in a deep breath. He rested the hilt of the blade against the window sill and Tifa stopped rambling. She watched him curiously before glancing at his sword. And then she seemed to find her nerve again.

Shaking her head, she spoke, "Cloud, your sword wasn't necessary though. It's not like any of us were in any danger, you know."

He turned and faced her. Light from the setting sun filtered through the curtains and illuminated him. His expression was unreadable but she could hear his heavy boots against the floor as they drew nearer to where she was standing.

"Now the media is going to talk about it. They got you on film, Cloud. Don't tell me you did anything else crazy outside!" Tifa gasped and brought her hands to her mouth as she realized that Cloud had probably bypassed the line outside in order to reach her in a similar fashion that he had barged into the bar.

He seemed to be disregarding her concerns, but he was still walking towards her, getting closer and closer. When he was officially in her personal space, she started backing up, looking up into his face and trying to read his expression. But his gloved hands came around her wrists and crushed the delicate bracelets that decorated them against her skin. She tilted her head backwards, chocolate tresses moving with her. She stared at him in puzzlement and blushed when he pressed his body against hers.

"C-Cloud, what are you..."

He leaned into her, so close she could breathe him in. She could taste his sweet breath over her mouth and she could feel the way her breasts pushed up against his chest. She noticed when his hand released her wrist and his arm snaked around her waist, moving dangerously close to the short hem of the nightgown.

She couldn't finish her question, she couldn't stop staring at his soft looking lips as they hovered over hers.

Her eyes closed.

He pulled her closer into him.

His lips brushed hers, nervously, tentatively.

She leaned in closer, granting permission.

And then Cloud Strife kissed Tifa Lockhart.

* * *

**A/N: **_Apologize for the late addition. But at least it's long right? I actually had much of this written sooner but things came up during these past few weeks and I was unable to write. Anyways, any type of feedback is welcome. :) Next chapter will come sooner.  
_


	5. Poor Boy

**A/N: **_Thanks a bunch to everyone who's still reading/reviewing/faving/alerting! :) Almost done. Possibly one more chapter and we can finally crown a winner for this silly little ficlet. _

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter Five:**

**Poor Boy**

"I need your opinion on something..."

She sounded nervous from behind the closed door. Cloud leaned his back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest, waiting.

"Sure..." He replied.

"Promise you aren't going to laugh?"

"Promise."

The door slowly creaked open and he saw her face peer out from inside the bedroom. She looked up into his eyes and he could tell she was blushing.

"Okay, here goes nothin'..." She mumbled softly.

He smiled at her reassuringly. She opened the door all the way and stepped out into his view. Cloud stood straight and still while he reviewed her choice of clothing with an expression of shock. She twirls around in the same spot to be sure he can see her at every angle. She was wearing a tight and short tan mini skirt, a pair of matching cowboy boots that came to her knees, a stylish tank top that showed off her midriff and dipped low against her ample cleavage, and complimented by a vest the same colour of her skirt. A cowboy hat sat on the top of her head, completing the costume. Cloud instantly recognized the outfit from his mission in Nibelheim all those years ago.

She stared at him with cautious eyes and tucked her small hands behind her back when she asked, "So...what do you think?"

He stuttered something incomprehensible. He didn't know what to really say to her.

"Cloud? Is it that bad?" She looked down at her boots and he knew she was embarrassed.

"N-no! N-not at all. It...it looks great, Tifa." He managed to say.

He scratched the back of his head and tried his hardest to keep his eyes on her face rather than allowing them to roam over her body. She looked up and smiled at him. He tried to smile back but somehow, he had a feeling he probably only looked like a bumbling fool. She moved closer to him and her delicate fingers played with the material of his shirt, drawing circles.

"Nice props." He said while looking down at her cowboy hat.

She grins up at him and her fingers trail up towards his collar. She pushed her body against his and he tensed up at the sudden movement. She then began to play with the zipper to his shirt.

"You know, Cloud..." she starts, her voice husky and seductive, "I only wore this outfit once before...surely, you recognize it?"

He doesn't know what to do with his hands, too afraid that if he moves them, he'll touch her. And so much of her was already touching him. He gulped before nodding his head.

"Y-yeah...I remember." He sputters.

Her eyes met his and he can see the longing in them. It made him feel uncomfortable. Unsure. Was this really happening?

"I wore it...for you. I wanted to impress you. I wanted you to..." She moved her mouth closer to his bare neck so that he could feel her hot breath tickling his skin, "think I was sexy."

"Do you think I'm sexy, Cloud?"

Her hand is on his, soft and cool. Amazing how such fragile hands were capable of so much damage. He allowed her to lead his hand towards her, but mainly because he was helpless at the moment. Cloud Strife, saviour of the planet, fearless leader of the rebel group, AVALANCHE, was weak in the knees and unable to fight off a single female. While still holding his hand, she caused him to brush her waist and then her hip, and then her back until she let it rest on her skirt. And then she stood on her toes and licked his lips; a quick and wet flick of her tongue against his mouth. Then she smiled and asked, "Well, do you, Cloud?"

He can't speak; the ability had been completely lost to him. Instead, he gave her a brief shake of his head in the affirmative while licking his own dry lips in an attempt at tasting her sweetness. She beamed at his response and her cheeks are tinged with red. He scratched the back of his head nervously, but she quickly pressed herself against him again, pushing him backwards until he hit the wall. He stared at her in disbelief but didn't know what to do. She smiled mischievously up at him and bit her lower lip.

And then she kissed him, her warm mouth on his instantly.

When Tifa then began to make an annoying and repetitive beeping sound, Cloud was brought into reality. He woke up with his drool stuck onto his pillow where most of his face had been buried. The annoying noise was still going and he picked up his cell phone, which was the source, and chucked it against the wall. The top came unhinged but at least the sound stopped. He then groaned and stuffed his face back into his pillow. It had been such a good dream. It had felt so real. But when he was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, staring at the reddened mark on his face, all hope left him.

He closed his eyes, leaned his arms against the sink and groaned while the memory of the previous night's events came back to him...

* * *

He was finally kissing her. It was hard to believe that it was even happening at all, but it was. Her mouth tasted as sweet as he had always thought it would; her lips felt as soft as he'd fantasized about when he was younger still. He couldn't get enough; he couldn't help what he was doing. He was caught in the heat of the moment, acting upon inner desires, playing out the way he always had imagined it in his head. But this Tifa Lockhart was the real Tifa and he forgot that small detail.

His hand travelled up her short dress and cupped a single butt cheek. The kiss ended. And then her hand collided with _his_ cheek.

* * *

Cloud rubbed at the affected side of his face and tried to convince himself that he had work to do and needed to focus. He'd have to deal with an angry Tifa later. Maybe once she had cooled down and all.

"Cloud? Are you in there?"

He froze up as he recognized Yuffie's voice coming from just outside the bathroom.

Yuffie...

That was right; this whole competition thing was all _her _fault. If she hadn't been so adamant about Tifa winning, then Tifa would have never worn that ridiculous thing the previous evening. She'd have never been baking in it for all those men. Cloud would have never gotten angry and reacted the way he did. He wouldn't have kissed Tifa and she wouldn't have slapped him. The end conclusion was that if it weren't for Yuffie, everything between him and Tifa would have stayed the way it was. At that thought, Cloud opened the door and glared at the young ninja girl standing before him, looking perplexed.

"You!" He shouted, clenching his teeth and pointing an accusatory finger at the thief.

Yuffie backed up and became defensive, "Me ,what? What the hell did I do?"

Cloud drew closer to her until Yuffie had her back against the wall, looking a little panicked.

"All of this! It's your fault!" He shouted at her.

Yuffie looked away nervously and then back at the fair haired swordsman, before saying, "Cloud, what the heck are you talking about? And would you stop getting so close! You're invading my personal space!"

Cloud felt anger well up inside of him. He wanted answers.

"Don't play dumb, Yuffie. It won't work on me."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She shouted.

"Yes you do! Tell me, just why exactly do you want Tifa to win this stupid competition anyways?"

Yuffie froze up but remained tight lipped and said nothing. She just stared up at Cloud defiantly. Cloud slapped his hand against the wall nearest to her head. She didn't flinch or bat an eyelash; she merely continued to stare up at the swordsman with fiery eyes.

"Answer me, Yuffie? Why do you wanna win so badly? There's gotta be something in it for you!"

"Materia." Came a response not from Yuffie's mouth but from someone else entirely.

Both Cloud and the ninja turned their attention to the source almost instantly, all the previous tension dissipating. There, standing in the hallway still in his pyjamas, was Denzel. He looked up at Cloud with a nonchalant expression while Yuffie stared open-mouthed in his direction.

Cloud ignored the thief and approached the little boy instead, "Materia? How do you know, Denzel?"

Denzel scratched the tip of his nose before replying, "Marlene. She said that one of the prizes for winning was a super rare materia called Knights of the Round."

"What? But there's only one of those, and I have it hidden in the..." Cloud paused, contemplating this.

Denzel shrugged and walked past his guardian and past Yuffie without another word. Cloud turned on Yuffie once the child was out of sight and stared at her, perplexed.

"There is only one of those. I'm sure. We went through hell and back to get it, there is no way there's a replica. Unless it's a fake."

Yuffie sighed and moved from her uncomfortable position against the wall. Then, hands on her hips, she said, "That's what I wanna find out. Which is why I'm winning this thing and getting my hands on that materia if it's the last thing I do. If it's a fake, I'm gonna be giving those damn Turks a piece of my mind."

Cloud scratched the back of his head and tried his best to absorb this new piece of information. He was willing to bet his life on the fact that the materia was a fraud. But, it still piqued his curiosity and now he wanted to be certain of it. If it wasn't a fake, then did that mean there were two? Or did it mean that someone simply stole his? Cloud jolted at this possibility; what if the Turks had stolen his materia without his knowledge? He'd have to find it and make sure it was still safe.

"Well, it's been nice chatting, Cloud, but I have work to do. Have you seen your girlfriend by any chance? She's sort of important right as of now."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. I'll find her, myself."

Yuffie dashed into the bedrooms uninvited, not caring for Cloud whatsoever while he stood there, still somewhat troubled by his conversations.

"TIFAAAAAAA. Where are you? We've got an interview to film!" Yuffie shouted, searching every room on the upper floor.

"Interview? What interview? I thought we were done with all of that?" Came Tifa's voice from inside one of the rooms.

Cloud suddenly became nervous when he heard her; after last night's little event, she had opted to sleeping in the guest room rather than their bedroom. He didn't know whether he should run away or confront her and so, he remained rooted to the spot, unsure of himself. When Tifa and Yuffie came out of the room, he made it a point not to look at her since it seemed to trigger memories of that dream and everything else. He couldn't help but blush.

"Let's get this over with, Yuffie."

"Right! Hey Cloud, you wanna be present for this thing? You've become pretty popular thanks to your antics last night. The guys hate your guts and the girls think you're hopelessly romantic and devoted to Tifa. Everyone's got their critics, I guess."

"Yuffie, Cloud has deliveries to run. He doesn't have time for any of this. Now hurry up. I have errands to take care of." Tifa interjected before Cloud could even open his mouth to reply.

With that said, Yuffie shrugged and headed for the stairs. When she was gone, Cloud noted that Tifa hadn't followed her. He could still see her feet and that was all he was going to be staring at because he was far too embarrassed to meet her eyes.

"Cloud, we need to talk." She said.

"Yeah..." he replied.

"Alright then, when you get back tonight." And with that, she was gone down the stairs to join Yuffie for whatever plot they would participate in this time.

* * *

"So, I'm going to be on air for this interview?" Tifa asked while watching Yuffie run about with wires and clothes in her arms.

"Yup! On television and the radio. Which is why you've gotta look hot!"

Tifa bit on her bottom lip nervously while running her fingers through her dark hair. Television? Radio? The entire city of Edge was going to be watching her again, even after the events from the previous night. She sat on the chair in her bar and wondered about the types of questions they would be asking. At least, she thought, Cloud wasn't present this time. She could hardly believe that their kiss hadn't been a dream. And then how he had ruined it all. She closed her eyes and tried to rid herself of the memory.

"Tifa! Earth to Tifa! We're gonna be on air in a minute! Get yourself together!" Yuffie shouted, waving her hand frantically in front of her face.

Marlene had materialized at her side and was giving Tifa a thumbs up with a wide smile, "You can do it, Tifa! Knock them out!"

The barmaid couldn't help but grin at the child while an overwhelming confidence filled her; she would win this silly competition, if only to keep that smile on the girl's face. She stared at the camera placed in front of her and waited patiently while Yuffie turned it on. Marlene ran and opened the small television set that the family owned. She turned it to a specific channel where a man was discussing the Beauty of the Slums competition in great detail. He was also just finishing up with another nominated lady, a girl with bright red hair and blue eyes. Tifa eyeballed her competition and wondered if she was prettier.

"Tifa! Just a few more seconds and you'll be on! Smile, damn it! Would it kill you to not look gloomy for like, fifteen minutes?" Yuffie said from behind her camera.

Tifa snapped out of her own thoughts and plastered on a smile as nicely as she could. She crossed her legs and placed her hands on her lap. This time, she had got to pick her clothes and had settled upon a simple miniskirt and tank top, similar to the likes of her outfit so many years before.

"We now take you to one of the favourite candidates in this intense competition, Ms. Tifa Lockhart, the barmaid and owner of Seventh Heaven. She's had quite a bit of attention lately although it may possibly be due more to her rather overprotective boyfriend rather than her delicious cupcakes, but let's hear what she has to say."

Denzel came downstairs and stood next to Marlene, looking bored and uninterested in all that was happening. Marlene gave him a nudge in the ribs but he only glared at her and folded his arms across his chest. Tifa, on the other hand, was trying her best not to flinch at the mention of her 'overprotective boyfriend'.

She continued to stare at the screen, dumbfounded and wondering if everyone was watching it. She almost missed her reflection in the screen before she realized that she was on television. The girl in the little corner of the screen mimicked her intimidated expression and she knew Yuffie was agitated. Quickly, she wore the smile again and tried to keep up.

"Well, hello there, Tifa. You look beautiful this morning." Said the interviewer.

Tifa had forgotten his name. She inwardly cursed but still smiled.

"Thank you." She said, her smile widening.

Her fingers twitched in her lap.

"You are most welcome! You deserve a compliment after everything that happened last night. Tell me, where did you meet that ex-SOLDIER?"

Yuffie had said, prior to the interview, that she was to tell the truth unless Marlene wouldn't be permitted to hear it; then, lie.

"Oh, we're childhood friends. We grew up together in a small town." Tifa said, having trouble fighting down the urge to correct his assumptions about Cloud Strife.

"Childhood friends? Well, isn't that romantic. Too bad; so many men are fond of you, Tifa. You're actually quite popular, despite being a taken woman."

Tifa glanced at Yuffie briefly, unsure of how to respond; truth or lies? Yuffie made a quick motion with her hand that told Tifa she was to tell the truth; they had developed hand signals for 'truth' and 'lie'.

"Well, you see, it isn't like that at all. Cloud and I are very close friends. Nothing more."

Yuffie nodded in agreement but Marlene and Denzel looked a tad bit...disappointed? If it was the truth, then why did it make Tifa feel uncomfortable? Why did she feel like it was, in fact, a lie?

"Oh, really? Because the way he charged in there and defended your honour was very similar to a knight rescuing his lady love. Perhaps, this is unrequited feelings?" The interviewer smiled at Tifa.

His words seemed to hit home; Tifa recalled their childhood promise and the fond memory brought a genuine happy glow to her features, "Yeah, I guess it was a lot like a fairytale."

Yuffie was making an X with her arms while Marlene clasped her little hands together under her chin. Even Denzel couldn't help the twitch at the corners of his mouth.

"Well, I'm sure he isn't the only one on that boat; many of our viewers and listeners have been letting us know of the intense love and admiration they have for you. Of course, this is expected of almost every 'Beauty of the Slums' competitors; her charms and charismatic attitude are what draw in votes. That being said, what sort of charms do you feel you possess as a lady competing?"

Tifa smiled and was grateful that the conversation had been averted from the topic of her housemate, Cloud.

"Charms?" She repeated, unsure of how to answer the question; Tifa was hardly narcissistic enough to be able to put forth some sort of incredible sentence that would satisfy her supposed 'fans'.

"Yes. For example, do you suppose you have a good sense of humour?"

"Uh, I'm not sure. I guess I crack a few jokes with my customers?" Tifa didn't need to look at Yuffie to know she was failing at this.

The interviewer looked a little confused but went on with the questions anyways, "Right. Well then, humour seems to be a charm you possess. Do you think there's any other reason as to why so many people have been drawn to you as a possible winner for this competition?"

"I, uhm, guess it may be because of my cupcakes?"

Stupid answer, she thought to herself. Stupid, stupid answer. She mentally smacked herself and knew that Yuffie was groaning at it all. The interviewer snickered, although it was brief, he hid it quickly and moved on with his job, "Cupcakes? Well, I did hear they were very delicious. I guess it makes sense that good food is the way to a man's heart. However, what are your reasons for wanting to win this competition? Or, why do you believe you even have a chance at winning?"

Before Tifa was able to answer, before Yuffie was able to stop her, Marlene came bounding to where Tifa sat and faced the camera that was trained on the older girl. Tifa watched in amazement as she saw Marlene's form reflected in the television screen. She looked fierce, her eyebrows furrowed and her large eyes full of raw emotion; anger.

Then she spoke, "Tifa is going to win this competition! She's a great person! She takes care of me, Denzel and Cloud. She cooks for us, helps us with our homework, plays with us and will do anything for this family and her friends! She's saved my father's life and she has the kindest heart that I know! So don't sit there on your big chair and bully her just because you're jealous you don't know a woman half as great!"

There was a silence that followed Marlene's speech. The little girl shook with every breath she took, small hands curled into fists at her side, trembling with emotion. The interviewer was also left speechless, his eyes wide and his mouth open. Yuffie couldn't believe what had just happened, but did not move to pull Marlene away from the cameras. Denzel, much to Tifa's astonishment, perked up and walked towards the little girl he had come to know as his sister. He stood on the other side of Tifa's chair and looked into the camera, his expression stern and serious when he spoke.

"When you make fun of Tifa, you have to go through me, first. Her food isn't the only thing that makes her more than capable of winning this stupid competition. Tell me, mister, how many of these women took in a sick orphan and cared about him, even when everyone else hated him because he had geostigma?"

Tifa's eyes burned while she watched Denzel through a blurring vision. Her lip quivered. Her hands twitched and she tried her hardest to fight off the tears.

Denzel, the child brought to her by Cloud. The child given to her to protect by the lovely Aerith. Denzel, a child who was orphaned because of Tifa's bloodstained hands. The boy who had grown so attached to Cloud, who looked up to him so much that he had taken on his characteristics, was standing beside her and defending her honour, like the little knight that he was. He had not liked her much at first, always favouring Cloud when it came to sensitive matters. She had grown to love him, like she would a son, but she had never expected him to have returned such feelings. She had never thought he had felt so strongly about her, that he cared so much.

But he did and he stood in front of the entire city of Edge and let them know that.

And so, in front of the entire city of Edge, Tifa Lockhart let them know how she felt about these two beautiful children.

She stopped fighting and let the tears, like little glittering jewels, spill from ruby tinted eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **_Woo. Seriously, one more chapter, folks! :D I'm excited, are you? Again, apologies for the late update but school is eating me alive. Hopefully I can get the final chapter up soon enough! Thanks for all who are sticking around to read this. :)_


	6. And the Winner is

**A/N: **_Apologies for such a late update but personal affairs sort of got in the way of writing this. :( But finally, it's here. The last chapter. Enjoy!_

**Summary: **Edge is holding its first ever 'Beauty of the Slums' competition and both Yuffie and Marlene seem to think they've got a chance at winning – in the form of the sultry barmaid, Tifa Lockheart, that is. Post AC/DoC, hints of CloTi.

**Barmaid Blues**

**Chapter Six:**

**And the Winner Is...**

"Great job last night, Lockhart. Truly touching. What you've done for those kids alone should name you the winner of this whole thing."

It was a customer who told her this just as he downed his last drink and headed out for the day. Tifa had stuttered out a thank you but was still not entirely sure on how to respond to all the sudden encouragement and attention she was now receiving because of this competition. Sure, she knew it was on a grand scale but she still couldn't understand why everyone was making such a big deal out of it. Then again, the previous night's interview had been something else entirely.

All the radio stations were talking about it while all the news channels were showing replays and broadcasting it all over Edge. Tifa just wanted to forget about it, keep it private, but it seemed everyone else disagreed. The tears of the beautiful barmaid shed for the sake of two orphans were just too much of a juicy topic to let go of. And so, she had turned everything off; no TV, no radio, nothing. She was just about through with the stupid thing at this point.

Last night's events had taken such a toll on her that right after kicking Yuffie out, Tifa had locked herself in the guest room and wouldn't come out, even when Cloud had arrived home. From behind the door she told him their talk could wait and that she was simply too tired to deal with it. Surprisingly, he hadn't argued and trudged off to bed with a simple good night.

Since she was never one to sit idle, she figured immersing herself in her work would help take her mind off of things. And so she woke up bright and early, prepared her bar, unlocked the doors and switched the sign outside to OPEN. It didn't take long for her usual stream of customers to walk in and keep her busy. Before she knew it, she was smiling again and chatting with them amiably. Some would bring it up, but noting her expression, the topic was quickly dropped. She was grateful for this.

Even Reno was acting a little nicer than usual when he greeted her, "Mornin' sunshine. Can I get my usual morning pick me up?" He said, a lazy smile tugging at his lips.

"Gin and tonic, got it."

Reno watched as she poured the alcohol while Rude took his seat silently next to his partner. Tifa got his coffee ready before he even bothered to ask and then smiled politely at the quiet Turk.

"You've started quite a commodity, Tifa. Can't walk past a screen without your beautiful face plastered on it or listen to the radio without hearing your name." Reno said before shooting down the alcohol and slamming the glass onto the wooden table.

Tifa gave him a look but did not bother to address his statement. As if she didn't know all of that, already. Acting like a smartass so early in the morning, Tifa was in no mood to put up with it. Reno laughed and Rude sipped his coffee.

"What did I tell ya, Lockhart? I knew you'd have this thing in the bag."

"I don't care, Reno. There are more important things in life than some beauty pageant, don't you think? Maybe you should relay that message on over to Rufus. He needs to recognize his priorities if he wants the people to believe in Shinra again." She replied, pouring him a second glass of alcohol.

He forked over the gil and downed it again, not taking his jade green eyes off of her for even a moment. She tried her hardest to ignore them, but they lingered and she wondered if she crossed a boundary with the red headed Turk. She dismissed the thought as soon as it occurred; she could care less if she offended a Turk, especially considering their past.

"It's a long way down from your high horse, Lockhart."

She threw her wash cloth against the wooden table and glared daggers at the man in front of her, "Save it for someone who cares. After all, your boss, of all people, should be most familiar with that feeling, anyways."

Reno's good cheer was quickly replaced with an angry grimace while he stared back at the defiant woman manning the bar. Rude cleared his throat but did not interfere, not exactly knowing how to handle a situation that involved both his partner and a woman he had much respect for. They remained that way for a little time, both challenging the other to say something, looking for a spark to break out into a fight.

"What's going on?" A familiar voice interrupted the staring contest and Reno was the first to look away in order to address the intruder.

And then he sneered, looking over at Tifa maliciously when he said, "Looks like your boyfriend is here to save the day again. Aren't you a lucky girl?"

That was the last straw; Tifa threw her fist before she could even think about it and was surprised that the Turk hadn't dodged it. Knuckles collided with Reno's nose and he cried out in pain as he covered his injury. Dark red liquid oozed from in between his fingers, contrasting with the fierceness in his green eyes when he looked upon the barmaid. Before he could draw out his own weapon, Cloud had the tip of his sword aimed underneath the hot headed Turk's chin.

"Don't even think about it, Reno. And you too, Rude." Cloud threatened, his voice taking on a familiar edge that he once so frequently used many years ago when a great weight rested upon his shoulders.

Reluctantly, Reno moved his hand away from the handle of his Electro-Mag Rod and looked at the mock SOLDIER expectantly. Cloud left his sword to linger for a few more moments so that the threat did not go unheeded before putting it back in its former place.

"I think you two have overextended your stay. Get out." Cloud's voice remained stoic when he addressed the two men.

Reno's sense of humour seemed to return and he looked at Tifa with a smile this time, "No hard feelings. You know how the alcohol gets me all excited. Good luck tonight. I'd rather vote for a chick that can kick my ass, anyways." He rubbed at his broken and bloody nose in response and then, with Rude in tow, left the bar.

Tifa sighed and rubbed her temple with her fingers. She was way too on edge if she was going around punching anyone who got underneath her skin. Still, it did feel good to let off some steam, even if it was on Reno. Then there was the issues with Cloud; why was there always a problem pertaining to her best friend, anyways? It was like no matter what, they always found themselves stuck in a patch that they had no idea how they got into in the first place. But here they were, together and not.

"Nice punch. But I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, should I?" Cloud broke the silence and brought Tifa's attention back to the present.

His eyes are soft and there's a hint of a smile in there if she looks hard enough. But today, Tifa isn't in the mood to see Cloud's smile. Things are strained between them and she can't pretend that they aren't.

"Yeah, it's been a while, though. Since I've had to fight, I mean." Tifa flexed her fingers, starting to feel a little bad about hitting Reno.

"That would be a good thing, right?"

"Sometimes."

"Do you miss it?" He asks, watching her carefully.

She stares out the window, her mind evidently elsewhere, when she answers, "Yes. Yes, I do."

A moment of silence passes between them before another customer approaches the bar for a refill. Tifa smiles at him and gets to work on his order. Cloud takes a seat at the bar and watches her work. It was his day off from the delivery service and he was going to try his hardest to address all the issues surfacing and plaguing his mind as of late. One of them was Tifa, the other was the blasted materia.

He had ripped apart his study room in search for it but Knights of the Round was simply gone, vanished. Not in the locked safety box he had put it in, not in any drawers, not in anything. Someone had obviously stolen it and, although it was tempting to say it was Yuffie, he knew it couldn't be her. She would never go through all the trouble of making sure Tifa won if all she wanted was to break into his safe and steal his materia. Too much work for the ninja girl.

"So tonight is the night, isn't it, Tifa? Finally gonna see an end to this damn pretty girl competition. Excited?" the customer asked, leading Cloud to look at Tifa expectantly.

Tifa's expression was dubious, like she didn't really understand what he was saying. Or like this piece of information was completely new to her.

"I...tonight is the finale?" her voice is barely audible when she speaks.

The man scoffs and looks at Tifa unbelieving, "You didn't know? Last night was the final interview. They tallied the votes today and are going to be broadcasting it all over the city. Everyone wants to know who the winner is going to be. You've got quite a few fans, Tifa."

Then the kids came running into the bar, looking excited but out of breath. Marlene and Denzel both paused when they reached their guardians and looked up at them with beaming smiles. Cloud wondered why they were both looking so chipper all of a sudden.

Then Marlene piped up, "Today's the day, today's the day, today's the day, Tifa! They're gonna say who the winner is! It's so exciting; I just know it'll be you! All the radio stations are saying how it's you! Everyone keeps talking about it!"

Marlene climbed up a bar stool and smiled brightly at the barmaid, her eyes alight with adoration. Tifa didn't speak, looking far too shocked by all this news. Denzel took a spot next to Cloud and it was then that the swordsman recalled the issue regarding his materia.

"Hey Denzel, you said that Shinra is giving the winner the Knights of the Round materia, right?"

Marlene suddenly froze up and instantly turned her attention to the older boy seated next to the fair haired warrior.

"Yup. Well, that's what Marlene told me, anyways. I don't know if it's actually true, though." Denzel replied, swinging his shorter legs while he answered.

Cloud then looked at Marlene with a raised eyebrow, "Who told you that they had the materia?"

Marlene's face lost its colour as she went ghostly pale before trying to placate Cloud's mind, "I-I don't remember. W-why's it matter, anyways?"

His eyebrows furrowed in thought as he explained, "Because, whoever told you is the one who stole it from me."

Denzel jumped at this and his eyes widened as realization dawned on him. Marlene made a mad scramble to get to him but he managed to speak before she could stop him.

"Marlene!" He cried, pointing an accusatory finger at the younger girl.

But before he could get anything else out, she had reached up and started tickling him fiercely, leaving Denzel in a fit of giggles as he tried to get away.

"Marlene! Stop that! Leave Denzel alone!" Tifa cried as she saw how hard the boy was fighting to get her off of him.

Cloud watched on in curious horror but did nothing to stop the tickling.

"Marlene Wallace, if you do not stop this very instant, I will forfeit this competition before the winner is announced." Tifa threatened, her voice rising.

Marlene paused to look up at her female guardian's dead serious expression and she knew that she would do it. With head bowed, the young girl stepped away from Denzel and stared at the floor. In response, Denzel stopped laughing almost instantly and took in a deep gulp of air in order to catch his breath.

Cloud quirked up an eyebrow and waited.

"It...It was...Marlene...Marlene took it. I found her going through your things in the study, Cloud. She told me to keep watch while she did it. But she told me she was only looking for your cell phone at the time. She mentioned the materia then." He managed to say this in between deep breaths of air.

Both adults turned their gaze towards the guilty looking child currently staring at her feet and shuffling them on the wooden floor. Tifa sighed and crossed her arms over her chest but her expression was that of worry rather than anger. Cloud scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to go about it. Although he was relieved that the materia was in the hands of Marlene rather than an adult, he still felt anxious about asking for it back.

"Marlene...why?" Tifa cooed, her eyes still trained on the girl she had come to see as her daughter.

"Because...because it was the only way I'd be able to get help! It was the only way I could convince Yuffie into making sure you'd win the competition! No one else would have helped and you would have lost because you'd have never done anything! I was gonna put it back, I swear!" Marlene cried, finally looking up at Tifa, her large eyes watery and tears streaking her cheeks.

And then, she ran off, disappearing up the stairs, sobbing into her hands all the way and not looking back.

"I know where she put it, if you want to get it, Cloud." Denzel said, not showing even the slightest bit of remorse for tattling on Marlene.

Cloud shook his head, "That's alright, Denzel. I don't need it right now, anyways. Marlene can give it back to me whenever she wants to."

Tifa smiled a small smile at the man she shared a home with. His heart was far too kind to hurt a child and it was probably one of the reasons he was terrible at disciplining them. But it was also a big reason as to why they seemed to love him more. She was still cross with him, though. There was a lot they needed to hash over and the very idea of it gave Tifa a headache. She was not looking forward to dealing with it.

Needless to say, when they looked at each other, impulsively and out of curiosity, their eyes locked. Neither turned away and a small understanding was exchanged between them; just like everything else, they were going to figure a way out of this one, too. He let her know that she didn't have to do it alone, he would be there with her, every step of the way.

* * *

Yuffie had come over for dinner. Not that Tifa minded, she needed a female companion in these tough times. Gods, she missed Aerith terribly when it came to this. The flower girl of the slums somehow always knew how to cheer her up with her insatiable girl talk and occasional jokes.

"I know I've said this so many times already but...I really do wish you were here." Tifa whispered to no one in particular, the kitchen empty of her guest and family.

She smiled with her lips and hugged herself as a cool chill went up her spine. For a brief moment, she felt like she was breathing in the easy scent of her perfume, the sweet smell of lilies growing in a musty old church. It was a comforting feeling but it was gone almost as soon as she realized it.

"So, what's cookin', Teefs?" The ninja girl asked as she entered the kitchen.

Tifa looked at the younger girl and smiled, "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Hmph. Fine. You know I'm not a picky eater, anyways. Cloud told me to come in here and help out, though. So feel free to order me around, too."

"Well, you can help me set up, if you like." Tifa motioned to a stack of plates and some cutlery next to them.

"Be careful with them, though! The china...it used to belong to my mother." Tifa cried while Yuffie made her way to grab the delicate plates.

"Sheesh, that's some old china, Tifa."

Tifa only rolled her eyes and went back to checking up on her boiling stew on the stove. When Yuffie came back from her menial task, she grabbed a pear from a bowl nearby and bit into it. She then hopped up onto a counter and took a seat where she was granted a view of Tifa's back.

"So, did Cloud tell you about the materia?" Tifa asked, stirring the stew with a wooden spoon.

"Nope. What's to tell?" Yuffie said nonchalantly.

"Well, it turns out Shinra never offered up any materia as a prize. And there is only one Knights of the Round materia. Cloud has it. Or, had it, I should say. Marlene had...borrowed it and told you it was the prize in order to reel you into this whole thing." Tifa explained, finding the whole ordeal rather funny now as she told it.

"Hmmm, is that so?" Yuffie took another bite into the pear and munched on it.

"Yeah. So, you see, it was all a hoax. There was never anything in it for you to begin with." Tifa continued, wondering how the ninja was going to take in this new bit of information.

"Oh, well." Yuffie stated, her voice disinterested in the topic entirely.

Tifa turned on her, wondering what happened to the spunky girl she once knew. And then it dawned on her, while she watched Yuffie stare at the half eaten pear with mild curiosity. It hit her.

Tifa then cried in a disbelieving voice, "You _knew_!"

Yuffie looked up from her pear and then hopped off of the counter, "I never said that. Now hurry up with the food. They'll be announcing the winner soon enough."

With that said, the young thief was out of sight. Hands on hips, Tifa shook her head but couldn't defeat the tiny smile that played along her lips.

* * *

The television was on. Everyone had a full tummy, except for Yuffie and Cloud, who continued to munch on some snacks that Tifa had left out. Denzel sat quietly next to Cloud while Yuffie was cross legged on the floor, her eyes glued to the screen. Only Marlene was absent; she had told everyone that she would make a trip to the bathroom right after quietly eating a small bit of her dinner. Tifa was concerned. It wasn't like her to miss this. Then again, she had still been upset since this morning.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to go check up on Marlene." Tifa stated, getting off of her chair while Cloud and Denzel both watched her go.

It was evidently eating away at her, even when she stood directly outside the bathroom. The light was on, so she was pretty sure Marlene was still in there. She raised her fist to the door and rapped her knuckles gently a few times.

"Marlene, are you okay? You're going to miss the winner announcement." Tifa stated.

A few moments later, the door clicked open and the knob turned. Marlene stepped out and Tifa could tell that she had still been crying from her red rimmed eyes. She bent low so that she was at eye level with the child before stroking her light brown hair.

"I didn't mean to, Tifa. I didn't. I just wanted you to win. Please don't tell Papa. He'll be so mad at me." Marlene sobbed, rubbing at her eyes as her lip quivered.

Tifa patted her back lovingly before saying, "I won't tell him, then. I promise. It'll be a secret between just us, okay? Now, let's go before it starts, hmm?"

The child's sobs slowed but did not stop. She looked up into Tifa's face before asking quite shyly, "...Is Cloud mad at me, too?"

The barmaid couldn't help but smile at this, "No, not at all. He's just waiting for you to give it back to him, but I don't think he's upset with you."

Marlene stared into Tifa's reassuring face before nodding and taking her hand. Just as the two were about to head towards the living room, Cloud stood before them. He looked sheepishly at the little girl, wondering on what to say to her exactly.

"Hey Marlene...why don't you head into the living room with Denzel and Yuffie. They're broadcasting the winner now and I don't think you'll want to miss it. Not to mention, Denzel is left defenceless at the moment and the television is way too loud for me to hear any sort of screaming or whatever."

Tifa stared in shock while Marlene's whole demeanor changed. Just like that, she charged towards the living room while crying out Denzel's name. Tifa attempted to go ahead and stop what Cloud had just started but he did not move out of her path. She looked up at him, ruby red eyes shining.

"I...Tifa, can we...What I'm trying to say is..." Cloud stuttered, scratching the back of his head like he always did when he was at a loss for words.

They could both hear the TV now, meaning that Yuffie had increased the volume.

"Hurry up you two! It's starting!"

"R-right. I should let you get to that..." Cloud stepped out of the way but now Tifa did not move.

She smiled instead, throwing him off guard entirely. She shook her head, long, loose strands of chocolate colored hair swinging with her like shimmering silk.

"WE NOW BRING YOU TO THE CONCLUSION OF THIS COMPETITION. MUCH HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. MANY CANDIDATES ENTERED, MANY BEAUTIFUL WOMEN WERE NOMINATED, ALL DESERVING OF THIS AWARD..."

"Are you sure?" He asks.

She nods now, stepping closer towards the blonde swordsman.

"I've put this off for long enough, what with this silly pageant and the pressure that was on me from Yuffie and Marlene...I haven't been giving you any attention whatsoever." Her voice was soft and sincere when she spoke.

"Okay then. Let's...talk." Cloud said, his voice and posture indicating his nervousness in the awkward situation.

"...ALL OF EDGE HAS HELD IT'S BREATH FOR THIS MOMENT..."

Another shake of her head but this time she was close enough for him to relish in the sweet smell of blossoms and honeysuckle.

"...MANY HEARTS WILL BE BROKEN..."

He raises an eyebrow in question but says nothing. She moves closer and he can't help but feel déjà vu, just like how it happened in his dream. He can feel the heat coming off of her body and she can feel his. A reluctant hand gently touches the hem of his vest, shy in nature and unsure of where to go.

"WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE LOVELY LADIES OF THE SLUMS; TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALL WINNERS AND THAT SHINRA CO. APPRECIATES THEM NONETHELESS..."

The hand slowly sneaks its way up towards his chest, emanating heat even through the thick material of his clothes, "Come on Cloud, we both know we're no good at talking..."

She is so close, he can feel her hot and ticklish breath against his skin and it raises a few goose bumps on his neck. But she was right.

"BUT WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE BEAUTY OF THE SLUMS; ONLY ONE WOMAN HAS SHONE MAGNIFICENTLY THROUGHOUT ALL THESE YEARS OF HARDSHIP AND EVEN NOW, THROUGH THIS COMPETITION."

"Do it right this time...Cloud." She says softly, her lips hovering over his mouth, teasing him, testing him, and taunting him.

Her eyes are closed, her arms have found a way around his neck and he leans forward, understanding her intentions. She was right, words were not necessary. Then again, with her, they were never necessary.

"...AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE FIRST ANNUAL BEAUTY OF THE SLUMS AWARD..."

His lids fluttered shut and he connected his lips to hers in a tender kiss. His hands found their way to her waist but he didn't dare go lower. Instead he drove her body closer to his, forcing her mouth onto his. Her body rubbed up against his as he took in a deep breath through his nose, breathing in more of her sweet smell while he deepened the kiss.

They grew more desperate with each passing moment, like a fire that continued to be fed, like the years they had spent in avoidance of one another. All the years of distance, frustration and the fighting against the very thing they longed to embrace, came out in this moment. His hands traced up her back, his palm laid out flat against her skin, exposing the tender flesh of her waist and setting a tingling spark everywhere he touched.

Her mouth was warm and inviting and she granted him entry inside, where her tongue warred away with his. He pushed her even closer towards him, feeling her breasts push up against his chest. His belt buckle dug into her skin but she ignored it all, too immersed in the pleasure she received from the attentions his mouth was giving her. She mewled into his mouth and the sound spurred him on further.

"...AND THE WINNER IS..."

Everything was fixed. Everything was at it should have been. No words needed. Just pure, unperturbed, unadulterated emotion. Fingers tangled in hair, hands trailed underneath clothing, kisses trailed along the jaw, the neck, the collarbone. And in this moment, nothing else mattered...

* * *

"You missed it! You totally missed it! What is wrong with you two? How could you miss it?"

Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks that led them both to blush.

"What's the big deal? They'll probably be replaying it anyways."

"That isn't even the point! We didn't even win! We lost, we lost damnit, Tifa! I CAN'T BELIEVE AFTER ALL MY HARD WORK WE STILL LOST! When I get my hands on those bloody Turks, there will be hell to pay!"

Something like shock registered over Tifa's face while Cloud looked disappointed by the news. Marlene had her head buried into Denzel's shoulder where she cried while he patted her back in comfort. Tifa bolted towards the television screen and put the volume back on, listening intently.

"So there you have it, folks. After much anticipation, the winner of the first annual beauty of the slums award has been announced as the ever charming Lilly Flowers."

"Who the hell is Lilly Flowers, anyways?" Yuffie cried at the announcer, glaring daggers at the television screen.

"More like, what kind of name is that? What parents would..." Tifa muttered under her breath.

And then they flashed the picture of said girl and Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie all went silent in disbelief. There, the girl who had won, the girl who went by the name of Lilly Flowers, had golden brown hair, which she wore in a twist, tied with a red ribbon. To match with it, she wore a spaghetti strapped burgundy dress, a pair of black army boots and a set of golden bangles. Her eyes were a dark shade of green but her features were delicate and feminine.

Yuffie's mouth had dropped and the colour had drained from her face. Tifa just stared at the picture, eyes wide in shock. Cloud stared at the image with a scrutinizing gaze before he said, "She looks so familiar..."

Yuffie and Tifa turned their heads at the same time, looking equally shocked and disbelieving. Cloud shrugged, unfazed.

"Do you know why she looks so familiar, Cloud?" Yuffie asked through gritted teeth.

"Not really. She just does." Cloud ran a hand through messy blonde spikes.

"You don't think that she looks a bit like...Aerith?" It was Tifa's turn to ask him now.

At this, he looked at the picture again, squinting at the still image of the girl smiling on the television screen. For a brief moment he looked shocked and then it was gone. He leaned back into his chair and shook his head, "Aerith was far more beautiful. She's just a cheap imitation."

He said this matter-of-factly, leaving Yuffie to grind her teeth in frustration. Tifa, on the other hand, looked at the picture once more and really saw the girl. Then, she smiled before saying, "You're right. That is just a cheap imitation. Sorry, Ms. Lilly Flowers, but you lose."

And with that, Tifa turned off the television.

* * *

"Hey, Tifa?"

"Hmm?"

"I have a question for you..."

"What is it, Cloud?"

"Out of curiosity, do you remember that outfit you wore...back in Nibelheim, when I came to visit?"

"...Oh, yes! The cowgirl outfit. Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you still had it lying around or something."

"That old thing? I think I do...somewhere in my closet. Why the sudden interest, Cloud?"

"...No particular reason. Maybe you should wear it again..."

"What? Why? It's probably a lot smaller now."

"...You could still wear it..."

"Cloud..."

"It was worth a shot..."

* * *

~Fin

**A/N: **_And there it is! Finished! Completed! It's been a great ride, guys. Thanks to everyone who reviews, faved, and alerted! I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did. :) And hopefully, it was worth it's lengthy wait. I'll be updating other things now so I hope you all stick around with me there. :) Ta-ta for now! _


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